


By Any Other Name

by DearLazerBunny



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, High School
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-08-08 19:20:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 30,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16435331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DearLazerBunny/pseuds/DearLazerBunny
Summary: Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…





	1. Chapter 1

“So all you missed in chemistry was an introduction to a group project…”

“All I missed? That sounds like a pretty big fucking deal!”

“Y/N, relax. I told Mr. Tarkin you were at a band competition and he gave me all the materials to pass along to you.”

“And you were planning on doing that when?”

“Open your front door.”

You jog down the stairs, phone still cradled between your ear and shoulder, only to find your friend Rey at the door, stacks of paper and backpack in hand.

“You’re such a dork,” you laugh, hanging up your cell and ushering her in. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough!” Rey is also laughing as she enters. “Got any food? I’m starving.”

“You act like you’ve never seen food before!” You shove her shoulder lightly in the direction of the kitchen. “You know where the snacks are, you freeloader.”

“You’re the best!” She runs off and you sling her pack over your shoulder, hiking back up to your room and spreading the chemistry work out on your bed. You’re already pouring over it by the time she gets back, string cheese sticking out of her mouth and an apple in each hand. She tosses one to you and you catch it nonchalantly without looking up.

‘The reflexes, they’re staggering! You really should join the hand-to-hand club, you know.”

“What, so I can land on my ass in front of you?” You tease, taking a bite of the apple. “I’m good with flute, thanks.”

“I’ll get you there someday.”

“Keep dreaming, Rey. Will you just explain this to me already?”

“Okay, so basically, it’s just like the experiment we did in class last semester, except you have to replicate it on your own with your partner. He’s set up a list of times you can use the lab, I wrote it down on the back of the worksheet.”

“You’re a gem.” You immediately start copying the dates and times into your planner. “Who’s my partner.” Rey doesn’t respond, and you look up. “It’s you, right? I mean come on.”

She grimaces. “Not… exactly…”

“What? Rey!” You toss a throw pillow at her, hitting her in the stomach. “What sort of best friend are you?”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! But there was an odd number of people so me, Finn, and Poe all paired up together.”

“You’d rather be a third wheel than work with your bestie? Wow, I see how it is.”

“Oh, come on, they’re not _that_ bad. I think they’re really cute, actually.”

You grin, thinking of your other best friends and how they (completely unsurprisingly) got together over the previous summer break after years of mutual pining. “Yeah, you’re right. They are.”

“So don’t shoot the messenger, okay?”

“Fine, fine. But who am I paired up with.”

“Oh, some new guy. I think his name is Kylo? Kylo something.”

“Great. New guy. Well, at least it’s not Armitage.”

“Oh, god, that would suck so much. Bad enough he’s your section leader.”

“Right?! He was so completely anal this past week I wanted to tear my hair out every time he opened his mouth.”

“But how’d you do?”

Your flute was tucked securely at the head of your bed, nestled in its case. You’d been practicing before Rey had called. You gave it a protective pat and glanced over at her. “First in the state overall, and distinguished on all my solos and ensembles.”

“Hell yeah you did!” She gives you a high five and you return it eagerly. “Nicely done!”

“Plus, I got one more commendation than Armitage.” You smile wickedly. “I so love pissing him off.”

Rey cackles as she opens her textbook. “I know you do. Okay, so the assignment is on page 114…”

You grab your own book from the shelf, but not before marking a note in your planner: _meet with kylo_. Whoever he was. You’d have to get Rey to point him out next time you were in class.

“Page 114 you said?”

“Honey? Is that you?” You mom knocks softly on your bedroom door then pokes her head in.

“Yeah, mom, I got home an hour or so ago.”

“Hello, Rey.” She smiles at your friend in the way that only mothers can do.

“Hi, Mrs. Y/L/N.”

“Y/N, I just came up to make sure you had gotten home safe.”

You gesture to your arms and legs, which were decidedly not in casts or crutches of any kind. “Mom, it was just a band competition. As you can see, I’m in entirely one piece.”

“Did you clean your flute well afterwards? You know how it can get at competition-”

“Yes, I’m, I did it when I got home.”

“Are you catching up on your homework? I know how you hate to get behind-”

“You raise your textbook in the air and proffer it to her. “That’s what me and Rey are doing right now.”

“Just make sure you email your teachers in the classes you missed-”

“-so I can get all my makeup work.” You shake your head, smiling a little at her worry. “I’ve got it mom, I’m good.”

“Alright, alright, I just wanted to make sure. Good to see you, Rey.” She shuts the door behind her as quietly as she came.

Rey is looking at you with a face you can’t quite identify, and you shrug your shoulders at her. “What?”

She bugs her eyes out dramatically. “Your mom is so over the top! If mine was hanging over me all the damn time I would have lost my shit by now. Doesn’t it bother you?”

“Eh, maybe sometimes, but she just- cares, is all.”

“And your dad?”

“What about my dad?” You ask a bit defensively. “There’s nothing wrong with dad.”

“Y/N. You are in _high school_ and he still polices what you wear! And who you hang out with! And when!”

“Well, he just wants to make sure I’m on the right track,” you say stubbornly.

  
Rey sighs. “Sure, babe, whatever you say. But anytime you want to escape the regime, there’s always my house.”

You throw another pillow at her, this time square in the face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

The next day slogged by as slowly as you’d expected, based on how little sleep you’d gotten after catching up on homework the night before. By the time the bell rang for lunch you were beyond done- you just wanted some greasy fries to stuff in your face and maybe throw a few at Poe across the table if he was being a particular little shit, as he was wont to do. Luckily, it’s pizza day, and you happily grab your mound of potatoes and make your way to your usual seat with your friends.

“And the prep queen returns! What’s good, band nerd?” Poe’s voice booms over the chatter in the lunch room and you roll your eyes.

“Nice to see you too, Poe. Finn,” you nod at the boy sitting on the other side of Poe, their thighs touching underneath the table in a subtly adorable way. “And I told you, I’m not a prep queen. You want prep queen, go hit on Armitage. I’m sure he and his uniform would be happy to oblige.”

“Y/N, you’re literally wearing a sweater vest,” Finn chimes in after swallowing a bite of his sandwich. “A sweater vest and matching skirt.”

“There is nothing wrong with a good sweater vest! Tell them, Rey,” you counter as Rey slides into her seat.

“What am I defending?”

“Miss prep queen’s choice in fashion tastes,” Poe teases, stealing a fry off of your tray. You bat his hand away.

“Just because I like a matching sweater set does not make me preppy! I just like- coordination!”

Rey snorts. “Hon, I love you, but you dress like your mother. You’re the only person I know who doesn’t own a pair of jeans.”

“I do too have a pair of jeans.”

“Do you wear them?’

“I mean- not exactly-”

“Point to Poe,” Rey finishes, unloading her tray. “Sorry babe.”

“Ugh. Fine. You all are just jealous that if I happen to run into the guy of my dreams I’ll be wearing something nice when I do it!”

“I wonder what Y/N would wear outside of her parent’s house,” Poe muses, like a thought bubble is going to pop up above his head. “I’m betting on punk goth.”

“Sweatpants,” Rey adds. “All the sweatpants.”  
You give them a horrified look. “The day I get caught in black or in sweatpants I’m either at a funeral or it’s my funeral.”

“See, there’s my point!”

The four of you continue to bicker like old married couples for the rest of lunch, right up until the bell rings. You sigh and gather your things, not prepared for chemistry next block. “I’m gonna go throw my stuff away, I’ll see you guys next period.” They wave as they walk off, and you head in the direction of the tray return-

-only to collide with a brick wall halfway there. Well, metaphorically speaking. Said wall was actually a kid, except he was build like a tank. He had to be over six foot- at least three or four heads taller than you. He was also dressed in all black, with shaggy black hair and some band tee that you’d never heard of. His tray also landed all over your chest as you ran into him, smearing god knows what all down the front of your shirt.

“Hey, watch it! Jesus!” You peel his tray off of your chest only to find ketchup stains all over your sweater. “This is never going to come out!”

“Cool it, princess, it doesn’t look like it ruined much.”

“I-” you pause, taking the time to move your eyes all the way up to the guy’s- admittedly kinda handsome- face. “Excuse me?”

He raises a condescending eyebrow before nodding at your ruined top. “I wouldn’t be too upset about it.”

“Well excuse you. Try not to be so rude next time you barrel into someone.”

“You ran into me, kid. I was just standing here minding my own business.”

 _Asshole_! “Whatever,” you mutter, unable to come up with a decent response under the glare of his surprisingly piercing brown eyes. You skirt around him and practically throw your tray onto the table, marching away as quickly as you could. When you looked back, he was still standing there, smirking, watching you go. Fucking fantastic, you weren’t even going to have time to change before chem.

Today just gets better and better.

 

 

 

  
“What happened to you?” Rey hisses in your direction as you slide onto your stool next to her just after the bell rings. She eyes your ruined outfit and raises her eyebrows in a ‘what gives?’ sort of expression.

“Some asshole ran into me in the cafeteria,” you mutter back, still peeved about the whole thing.

“Class, please meet with your partners today and we’ll get started.” Mr. Tarkin stands at the front of the room, imposing as ever.

“Fabulous. I’m going to meet the new kid covered in ketchup!” You huff and start pulling together your notebook and pencils. “Today is not my day.”

“Speaking of which-” Rey subtly nods to the back of the room. “That Kylo guy is in the back of the room. The one in all black.”

You take one look at him and freeze. Wonder if she’s possibly pointing out the wrong person. Briefly consider renouncing your religion. And finally, take a deep breath, and march to the back of the room, where none other than Cafeteria Asshole is sitting, twirling a pencil between his fingers.

“Must be my lucky day,” you say bitterly, dropping your notebook in front of him with a thud. “Looks like I’m your lab partner. I’m Y/N..”

Asshole rolls his eyes. “Great. What’d I have to do in a past life to get stuck with prim and proper over here?”

You have to gape a little at his attitude. “Look, dude, you don’t even know me. You don’t know anything about me!”

“Let me take a guess.” He raises his fingers to count on, and you can see a few of them colored in with what looked like black sharpie. “Straight A student. Never misses a day. Probably captain of the cheerleading squad. Dating the star football player. Perfect little angel to her parents. Etcetera etcetera. Tell me what I missed.”

You sputter for a few seconds before finally spitting out, “I’m not a fucking cheerleader. Not that you care, but I’m in the band.”

“Oh, god, even worse.”

“What-? Look, I don’t know what your problem is, but can you please be civil for two seconds so we can actually get some work done?”

He sits back in his chair, hands behind his head, like he’s freaking lounging by the pool. “Work sounds more like your thing. I don’t really do the whole school thing.”

That does it. You stand up on the edge of your stool so you’re face to face with him across the table at his level, and point your finger as menacingly as you can manage at him. “Look. I don’t care what your problem is. I don’t care about your attitude issue. But while you’re partnered with me? You _will_ pull some of your fucking ginormous ass weight. Do I make myself clear?”

He actually has the decency to look a little shocked at you before nodding hesitantly.

“Good.” You thunk yourself back down. “Now. Page 114.”

“I don’t have my textbooks yet.”

You sigh. “You can look off of mine. Just- be careful with it.”

He rolls his eyes so hard you can see the whites and you honestly consider popping him in the nose, just to shut him up, but you doubt that would win you any points with your new lab mate.

“Ugh, crap.” The bell rings, and you shove your work away from you. “Class is over and we’re not even done with the first section.”

“So what?”

“Did you not hear Mr. Tarkin? It’s due next class!”

He sits there sullenly, like he expects you to have all the answers. “Well, we’ll just have to get together after school and do it.”

“Fine. Your place.”

“Why does it have to be my place?”

“Do you want to get this done or not?”

“Fine, fine. I have band practice right after school, but you can come over after that. 6:30 sharp.” You roughy scribble down your address and shove it at him. “Don’t be late, asshole.”

“It’s Kylo.”

“Say again?”

You can practically hear him grinding his teeth from across the table. “My name is Kylo.”

“Fine. Kylo. Don’t be late.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

By 7 you were still waiting on your lab partner to show, even though you had explicitly told your band teacher, Dr. Smith, that you had to leave as soon as rehearsal was over and race home to do a project. Typical. Kylo had probably never been on time a day in his life.

When the doorbell finally rang you stormed up to the door to get it. “What happened to being- whoa.” _Double_ whoa. Kylo either had a twin, or he’d gotten a serious makeover from the end of school ‘til now. Gone were the sharpies fingernails, the ripped clothes, and the studded belt, all in favor of a crisp white t-shirt and black blazer that hung over his shoulders perfectly. Blue jeans and non-ratty sneakers topped it off and you couldn’t help but notice just a tiny bit, just a very small, minuscule amount, how good they looked on him. “Who are you and what have you done with my lab partner?”

“Very funny.” Kylo glares at you for a minute. “Well? Can I come in, or what?”

“Yeah, yeah. Sorry.” You step aside to let him in, only to get a very excellent view of his ass as he walks down the hallway. _Jesus_ , _Y_ / _N_ , _get_ _ahold_ _of_ _yourself_. “So, do you want to do this in the kitchen or my room?”

“Um-” now that he’s here, he looks a little… nervous, almost? On edge, like he’s looking over his shoulder every minute. Then he literally looks over his shoulder and says, “Are your parents home?”

“Uh, yeah, my dad works from home on Mondays- not that they’d leave me alone with a boy anyways- but what does that have to do with anything?”

“You told them I was coming?” If you didn’t know any better, you’d say there was a little bit of panic in his voice.

“Duh, what are you, Kylo’s idiot twin? Come on, we’ll do it upstairs.” As you pass by the study, you shout at the closed door, “Dad, my lab partner’s here! We’re going to my room!”you lead him into the bedroom and shut the door, dropping your stuff on the bed. “You can take the desk.”

“Um- thanks.” Now that the door is closed, his shoulders have loosened up a bit, and he looks less- well. Scared. “Where should we start?”

You look at him like he’s from another planet. “Okay, clue me in. This morning you were a total asshole and hated my guts. Did something change between now and then? Did your daily dose of jerk juice wear off and now you’re a semi-decent human being?”

Once again, you get a piercing glare from those brown eyes, but he says nothing in retaliation, even though he very much looks like he’s holding his tongue. Curiouser and curiouser.

“Whatever. Let’s just start on part two.”

You sit in silence for a long while, the only sound in the room being pencil scratching on paper and the occasional trade of information to fill in on one another’s sheets. It was almost- normal. Okay, even. You’d calmed down considerably and was even feeling a little sorry that you’d been so rude to him earlier. “Hey, look. I’m sorry about-”

“Y/N?” The bedroom door opens wide and your dad stands in the frame, one hand on his briefcase and one on the doorknob. “You in here?”

“Yeah, dad, just like I said we would be.”

“We?” He doesn’t seem to notice Kylo sitting in the corner. You don’t notice, either, that his pencil is frozen on the paper and that he’s begun to sweat.

“Yeah, my lab partner had to come over and work on a project, remember? I called and told you about it. Dad, this is Kylo-” you point to the Kylo clones sitting at your desk- “Kylo, this is dad.”

Kylo actually stands up, and you swear to god, you could not make this stuff up, goes over to shake you dad’s hand. “Hello, sir. Thanks for having me over.”

“Not a problem son, and friend of Y/N’s is okay with us. Call me Bill.” This was your cue to mentally scream we’re not friends! But you held your tongue. “What did you say your name was?”

“Kylo, sir.”

“Interesting name. Run in the family?”

“…kind of.”

Your dad gets a weird look on his face, almost like he smells something funny, before letting go of Kylo’s hand. “Well, I’ll be in my office if you need anything. And Y/N, leave the door open, please, you know the rules.”

You waited until you could hear footsteps down the hallway before rolling your eyes. Kylo looks at you expectantly. “Rules?”

“Yeah. I’m assuming you’ve heard of them?” You gesture to the now open door. “No people in my room without the door being open. Just in case I want to spontaneously start snogging people, I guess.”

“That seems a little invasive.”

You shrug your shoulders. “It’s just kinda how its always been. What’d you get for number four?”

You continue to work until your dad appears in the doorway once again. You glance up. “Do you need something?”

“I’m afraid your partner needs to go.” His voice is calm, controlled, but there’s something underneath, something you can’t quite place.

“What? You said they could stay ‘til 8:30, remember? Dad?”

Kylo is already packing up his things, shoving his stuff haphazardly into his bag like he doesn’t care if his notebooks get crunched and written on by a rogue pen. “I know, but this is just what needs to happen right now. Son, I’ll show you the door.”

“Yes, sir.” Kylo disappears behind your dad and follows him out. You listen for the front door to close and are surprised to hear it’s more of a slam than anything else.

“Dad? What the heck was that?”

Your father shakes his head. “I’ll speak to your teacher about getting you another partner. Maybe you can work with Rey.”

“You can’t just throw Rey’s name in there to distract me. Why’d you kick him out? We were just starting to get along!” The funny look returns, almost like he doesn’t believe you, and you backtrack. “Well, kind of.”

“You’re just going to have to trust me on this one. It’s adult stuff.”

“Adult stuff? Dad, I’m almost eighteen. I think I’m adult enough to know why you just threw one of my friends out of the house.”

“He is not your friend.” For a moment, he gets angry- really angry. You can see it in his eyes. But then you blink, and the rage has disappeared. “Don’t say that.”

“O- okay? Really confused here, dad.”

“Like I said, princess. Just trust me on this one. You don’t need to be associating with him.” He comes over and kisses your forehead very paternally before leaving, closing the door behind him. You stare out your window as you watch Kylo hurry across the yard, heading in the direction of home.

What the hell was going on?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

Kylo storms into his house, slamming the door behind him so hard the tiny house rattles in its wake. Dropping his bag like a sack of bricks, he hurtles up the stairs, angrily shedding this stupid blazer-

“Ben, honey? You’re home early. Is everything okay?”

Kylo rounds on his mother, ready to scream, but he stops. Counts to ten, takes a few deep breaths. And then- “why didn’t you tell me?”

A crease forms between Leia’s eyebrows. “Tell you what, dear?”

“That she’s the daughter of Bill _friggin_ Y/L/N!”

Leia’s eyes widen and she leans against the wall leading up the staircase. “Oh… oh my. Did something happen?”

“Oh, nothing much, just threw me out of the house like a fucking criminal.”

“Ben, please, language.”

“Sorry, sorry.” He runs his hands through his hair, messing it up into its usual unruly curls. “Where’s dad?”

“In the garage I believe, but I don’t think-”

“DAD!” Kylo bellows, nearly shoulder-checking his mother as he tumbles back down the stairs and out to the garage. “What the hell were you thinking?”

Han pops up from underneath his old vintage car and wipes a wrench off with a greasy rag. “What the hell was I thinking when?”

“Sending me over to that girl’s house when you knew who her father was. That’s why you had me wear those stupid clothes, isn’t it? Because you knew he’d be there!”

For all his past life pursuits, Han is a terrible liar. “I don’t think I know what you-”

“Bill freaking Y/L/N. You know, the guy who put you away for a decade? Yeah, that’s her dad.”

“Who’s she? Got a girlfriend already, Ben?”

“Don’t change the subject!” God, he felt like trashing that stupid car of his to bits. “Why didn’t you warn me?”

Han sighs, and puts the tools down. “I didn’t think he’d recognize you, in all honesty. It’s been years, and you were just a kid-”

“I give him my name, he leaves, comes back, and looks at me like I’m a fucking _dog_. He must’ve looked it up somewhere.”

“Did you say your name was Ben?”

Kylo gives him a look. “Don’t be stupid dad, of course not. But he must’ve known I changed my name. And what I changed it to.”

“That information isn’t supposed to be public record-”

“I highly doubt lawyers give a shit about public record.” He sits down on a metal bench, head in his hands. “And now it’s one big mess.”

“Are you going to tell her?”

“Well I don’t really have a choice now! She’s going to be asking all sorts of questions!”

“It might be good for you to open up a little. Make a few friends,” Leia chimes in from the doorway of the garage, looking out of place in the man cave.

“Hi, Y/N, my name isn’t actually Kylo, and my dad is a convicted felon, who your dad put away for a decade! Yeah, that’ll go over real well.”

“Oh, Y/N Y/L/N?” Leia exclaims. “I’ve seen her in the papers. Quite the superstar, she’s ranked nationally on that flute of hers-”

“Yeah, yeah, miss prep princess is just perfect.” His voice is scathing.

“I bet you’ll learn a lot from her as your partner.”

“I heard her dad say he’s going to call the school and get her switched.”

Now it’s Han’s turn to be mad. “Now that’s just overkill. Just because I did some stupid stuff in my day doesn’t mean he should take it out on you.”

“No shit dad, really? I never would have thought of that!”

“Both of you, calm down.” Leia’s voice washes over the two boys like a balm. “I’m sure things will work itself out.”

“Fuck if I know how.”

The doorbell rings, and Leia turns to go get it. “Ben, really, language!”

She opens the door and finds you standing there, out of breath and red in the face. “Hi. Um, I need to speak to Kylo? Please.”

“Oh my.” The woman puts a hand up to her face. “I’m not sure now is the best time, dear.”

“Please, if I could just talk to him for one second- Kylo!” You catch a glimpse of him behind (probably his mother?) as he attempts to make a break for it up the stairs.

He considers just ignoring you, but decided to come up behind his mother, looking down at you from over her shoulder. “How do you know where I live?”

“Um- I kind of followed you-”

“Fantastic. What do you want?”

“I’ll leave you two alone for a minute.” Leia slips away from between the two of you, shaking her head.

“Well?” Kylo demands.

“I- just wanted to say that I’m sorry.”

He freezes, and looks at you in disbelief. “You what now?”

“I wanted to say that I’m sorry. My dad was totally rude and I have no idea why he acted like that. It wasn’t right. So… I’m sorry.” Kylo doesn’t seem to know what to do with this information. He just stands there, staring at you for so long you wonder if he’s having a seizure or something. “Are… you okay?”

He shakes out of it. “Fine. I just- don’t think akbfbalieyg erflkasbvlav-” he trails off, mumbling so quietly you can’t make out what he’s saying.

“Say again?”

“I-” He takes a breath. “I don’t think anyone has ever apologized to me before.”

Oh. “Oh. Well- you’re welcome, I guess.”

He nods. “Thanks, Y/N. I’ll see you in lab.” And he closes the door.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

You run to chemistry, lugging your bag in your hand. You wanted to get there before Kylo. You needed to apologize, again. Pestering your dad had yielded absolutely no results; he kept blowing you off. All you know is it was incredibly uncalled for and no one deserved to be treated like that, no matter how much of a jerk they seemed to be. Instead of sitting in your normal seat, you sat next to Kylo’s, staring at the door, waiting for him to come in.

When he finally showed, he was twenty minutes late. Luckily, that meant he couldn’t make a fuss about you sitting by him- which he definitely looked like he wanted to, based on the face he made when he sat down. You smiled to yourself, secretly pleased at the small opportunity to piss him off. As class progressed, you found yourself stealing glances at him, but he never looked your way, keeping himself razor focused on the notebook he was doodling in the whole time. When the bell rang he made to bolt, but you grabbed his wrist before he could get away.

“Wait. Can we talk?

He sighs and turns, dropping his stuff back onto the counter. “I don’t know about what.”

“Um, how about you getting forcibly kicked out of my house? I really, really am sorry about that. I don’t know what the hell he was thinking.”

“It’s- fine. Not an uncommon reaction when you look like I do.” He gestures to the day’s outfit, involving jeans more slashed up than someone in a horror movie.

“But you weren’t- never mind. Look, obviously we can’t work at my house, is there any way we can work at yours?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Come on, Kylo, we need to get this project finished.”

“Fine. Do you remember where it is?”

“Um-” you don’t know what you had been thinking that day, following him home. It had been kinda stupid of you, but it had just felt like something you’d needed to do. “Yeah, I think I do.”

“It’s no four bedroom mansion, so kindly take your judgmental opinions and put them elsewhere.”

When you roll your eyes, you also let the snark roll right off your shoulders. It was easier now that you’d seen he could actually be civil. “I don’t judge, Kylo, you could live in a shack for all I care. I’ll see you after rehearsal, 6:30. And I won’t be late.” You walk off in the direction of your next class, fully aware that his eyes were on you the whole way down the hall. Half of you liked the attention, the other half thought it was a bit creepy. His stares were so intense. But you rounded the corner, already mentally making a map back to Kylo’s house in your head for the afternoon.

This should be interesting.

You didn’t change into rehearsal gear because if your parents had taught you anything, it was how to make a good first impression (you’d decided that little apology trip hadn’t counted). So you wore a nice sweater and slacks, nice shoes, brushed you hair out to make sure it wasn’t all tangly. The works. You were the queen of getting parents to like you, and hopefully this should be no exception.

Except what if his parents didn’t like you? What if they were just as rude as Kylo? I mean, he had to get it from somewhere, right? You didn’t think you could deal with a whole household with a mouth on them. You were contemplating this just as the door opened, and the woman from the day before stood there in the entryway.

“Hello, dear! Come in, come right in.” Well, so far so good. You haul your bag onto your shoulders and slip through the door.

“Thank you for having me, Ms. Ren.”

“Please, call me Leia. Ben- Kylo is in the kitchen, it’s just around the corner there.”

Ben? You step into the house, following her retreating back. It isn’t much- certainly not as big as your house- and it’s in kind of a rough area, but despite being sparsely decorated it feels homey and warm, unlike yours. Kylo is sitting at the kitchen counter, head already bent over his textbook, and you’re glad you didn’t accidentally walk in on his brother or something.

“Hey.” You slide onto a barstool, perching your bag on the counter. “What’s up?”

“This fucking chapter,” he growls, clearly fed up with whatever was in front of him. “I can’t ever get my head around it.”

“Which part is it?”

“Four, on the project? I think.”

“Oh, acids and bases. Fun times.”

“I’d rather have straight acid thrown into my eyes.”

“Well, at least you’ll know what’s being thrown into them,” you tease, opening your backpack and pulling out your own textbook. “Want some help?”

He glares at you, and you think, oh no- the asshole returns- but at the last second he caves, face melting into something more exhausted than anything else. “Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

Huh. “I think I’ve got a pretty good handle on it, anyways. So we should be alright.” You turn to the fourth part and scan it over. “Okay, so this is where you’re going to start…”

You didn’t realize how much time had passed until Leia interrupted the two of you. Chapter four had been going surprisingly well. He’d say something sarcastic, you’d counter with some remark, he called you princess one too many times- the usual, but this time, it was actually kind of fun. You had learned his rhythms by now, taking the bite out of any of his comments. With Leia cooking in the background and fragrant steam starting to waft through the room, it was almost like you were just hanging out with a friend.

“Y/N, honey, it’s getting awful late. Why don’t you stay for dinner before you go home? I can drive you afterwards if it gets dark.”

“Um-” you glance at Kylo, silently wondering if he’d despise you if you actually said yes- it did smell _really_ good.

Somehow, he picks up on your cue, and shrugs his shoulders. “If you’re fine with getting blasted by your dad, I don’t care.”

“Oh. About that.” You giggle a little nervously, still not totally sure about your plan. “I told him I was at Rey’s.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Miss goody two shoes lied to her parents? Wow. If you’re not careful, I might start thinking I’m something special.”

“It’s all in the name of science,” you shoot back, easy as breathing. You turn back to Leia. “Dinner would be great, but I don’t want to intrude.”

“Oh, believe me, it’s not a problem.” She gets some bowls out of a cabinet over the stove and sets them between the two of you. “Set the table, honey, will you?”

“Oh, I can do it.” You hop off your chair and grab the place settings, setting up four around their wooden dining table. “Least I can do.”

“Well thank you, Y/N. That’s very kind of you. I hope you like stew!”

Your back was turned as you set the table, but if it wasn’t, you’d see a look of motherly pride on Leia’s face- and a look of softness on Kylo’s that you’d never seen before. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

A few days later, you were due once again at Kylo’s house to put the finishing touches on your project. It had turned out quite nicely, if you did say so yourself- the results perfectly replicated those you had achieved in class, making it a sure-fire A. Knock on wood. You never knew with Tarkin, sometimes.

You were fully prepared to walk to your partner’s house, like the responsible girl you were, but there was a problem.

It was raining outside.

Not just regular rain, but a torrential downpour, accented by streaks of lightning shooting across the sky and thunder clapping so loudly over your ears you had to resist the urge to cover them with your hands like you did when you were five.

You hated thunderstorms. Despite being almost a grown-ass adult, something about them made you wince every time thunder boomed across the sky. The fear was so bad you had to take an extra anxiety pill every time one rolled around, which luckily wasn’t often. But this one was a doozie, and the meds didn’t seem to be helping- your heart was pounding, palms sweaty, and the thought of running to his house in the downpour made you want to break down and cry.

You were sitting on a couch in the school lobby, trying to see if the rain would let up, absolutely trying not to cry. You didn’t want to make him wait too long though- you were expected after rehearsal, and gods know you hated to be late. But you didn’t have his number to tell him you were waylaid, and you definitely didn’t want him thinking you were ditching him-

Another crack of lightning lights up the dark sky and you nearly jump out of your chair, muscles wound tight as a spring. Great. You were going to be stuck here until your parents got off work and could drive you home.

“Y/N?” You turn, and speak of the devil, Kylo comes jogging up beside you. Miracle of miracles. “What are you still doing here? I thought rehearsal ended at five today.”

“It did. I’m just- waiting to see if the rain will die down.” You swallow and try to smile. “Why are you here so late?”

“I was getting help in another class.” He runs a hand through his hair, pushing the curls back behind his ears, and you can’t help but watch for a second. “Well, as long as we’re here, might as well walk together.”

“In this weather..?” Your voice definitely squeaks a bit as you say it, and you clear your throat to try and hide it.

“Yeah, unless you’re secretly the wicked witch- and honestly I wouldn’t be surprised, but whatever- you won’t melt. Come on.”

He starts out the door and you stand, hands locked securely on the straps of your backpack. You take a deep breath- and stop about five feet short of the door, eyes wide at the pounding rain outside.

Kylo- already soaking wet- jogs back in. “What gives? Come on! It’s just a little water.”

By now your fear has gotten the best of you and you shake your head, staring at the storm. “N- no, I can’t Kylo, I’m sorry.”

He studies your face carefully, and a hint of recognition passes across his own. “You’re scared of thunderstorms.”

“What? No! I just-” lightning crackles, followed by the loudest crash you’ve ever heard in your life, and you jump out of your skin so far your bag and all its contents end up sprawled on the floor. “Shit, I-” you bend over and start picking up the piles of notebooks, feeling tears prick at your eyes.

To your surprise, you feel a hand brush over yours, and you look up to see Kylo squatting beside you, helping straighten everything back into piles. “Here.” He hands you a stack casually, like you aren’t nearly crying over a freaking thunderstorm.

“Th- thanks.” You both stand, and he looks at you for a moment.

“You know, there’s nothing wrong with that. Being afraid of them, I mean.”

“Yeah, right.” You laugh a little bitterly. “Being afraid of thunder is for little kids. It makes me feel like I’m a toddler.”

“There’s no shame in it.” His voice has taken on a tender quality, like he’s trying to talk you down. It’s a lovely contrast from the harsh outside, and you find yourself latching onto it. “If it helps, I’ve never liked them either. I’m just too stubborn to let them stop me.”

“Imagine my surprise, Kylo Ren being stubborn.”

“Come on, you can make it. My house is right around the corner.”

“No, I-”

“Yes, you can,” he says firmly. “I’ll be with you the whole time. Look-” he holds out one hand, and you stare at it for a moment before you realize he intends for you to take it. Hold his hand. “I’ll be right there with you, okay”

Tentatively, you put your hand in his, and he instantly tightens his grip so you can’t let go. “We’re gonna do this together, okay?” You nod. “I’m opening the door now. One, two, three-”

He opens it just a crack, letting you get used to the assault of noise, before opening it a bit wider. And a bit wider. Soon you’re standing in front of the open doorway, feeling the mist of the rain on your face.

“Ready?” Unconsciously, you squeeze Kylo’s hand and feel a little embarrassed about it, but to your pleasant surprise he squeezes back with no judgement on his face. “Just think of it like a swim. But with clothes on. And not in a pool.” That makes you crack a smile- a small one, but still. A smile.

And then all at once, he pulls you into the rain. Shrieking, you both run across the parking lot, getting absolutely drenched in the process. _Just_ _think_ _of_ _it_ _like_ _swimming_. _Just_ _think_ _of_ _it_ _like_ _swimming_. You keep repeating it to yourself as lightning crashes over your head. A few tears escape down your cheek, and you’re glad you’re both too wet for Kylo to notice. But, miraculously- you’re also smiling. Kylo looks like he’s practically dancing through the storm, almost enjoying it. He looks back at you with this crazy grin on his face and you have to grin back, momentarily forgetting about the raging Mother Nature.

“Oh my gosh, look at the two of you!” Suddenly Leia is there, ushering the two of you into the house, and the front door closes between you and the outside world.

You come to your senses enough to study Kylo’s appearance. His clothes are so soaked they’re hanging off of him like wet laundry, and his hair is streaming water- and you’re sure you don’t look much better. “Ben, get the both of you upstairs and dry off. Why didn’t you call me? I could have come picked you up!”

You gape at Kylo, facial expression saying _why_ _didn’t_ _we_ _just_ _do_ _that?!?_ But he just winks at you. “Come on, princess. My bathroom has clean towels.”

He leads you up the stairs, and you finally notice the most important detail of all- your hands are still locked together, fingers intertwined like Kylo is sharing his strength with you. And it worked, for all you knew. Reluctantly, you let go, but not before giving another little squeeze of appreciation.

“Here.” He tosses a towel at you and you gratefully catch it, rubbing it through your hair to stop the dripping.

“You look like you drowned,” you giggle as he attempts to blot his shirt into some semblance of dry.

“But I didn’t! You didn’t!” He’s smiling at you, a real, proud, bright smile, and for some reason you want him to keep looking at you like that all the damn time. “You did it!”

Slowly, a small smile spreads across your face. “I guess I did, didn’t I?”

“Hell yeah you did! You showed it who’s boss!”

You laugh, doing a small happy dance in the puddle of water where you stand. “I did it, I did it!” Kylo laughs too, and holds out his hand to spin you in a circle. You oblige, wet hair flinging water in all directions, but that just makes the two of you laugh harder. When you finally get yourselves together, you’re standing incredibly close in his small bathroom, but neither of you seem to mind. “Thank you,” you whisper, looking down at the floor, suddenly embarrassed.

He lifts a hand and puts a finger under your chin, raising it up so you have to look at him. “No problem,” he whispers back. And despite being damp and cold and still a little scared out of your mind, you wished the moment would last just a little longer.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

You fiddled with the lock of your locker that stubbornly refused to open. You had to get changed after rehearsal before you went home. Couldn’t have your parents seeing you in anything comfortable like shorts, or god forbid- sneakers. You were so absorbed with fiddling with your lock you didn’t notice your section leader coming up behind you. He stands there, tapping his foot at you, until you feel his eyes staring at the back of your head.

“Armitage. What’s up?”

“I was talking with Dr. Smith after rehearsal and he agreed you and I need to have a little talk, Y/N.”

“Um… okay?”

“I thought you were a little distracted in rehearsal today. Is everything okay?”

Uh oh. You were a little distracted during rehearsal- you’d been hiding your phone behind your music on your stand, trying to dig up any iota of information you possibly could on Kylo. You wouldn’t call it _stalking_ , persay- more like just gathering information on a new friend. You were interested in his life, after all. That’s a friendly thing to say, right?

If you were being honest with yourself, you kind of missed him-  the banter, the hanging out in his kitchen while his mom cooked and you two bickered over the best way to make a chart. With the project officially over, you had returned to your seat in the front of the class with Rey, meaning you didn’t even get to talk to him in class. It made you a little sad- you were just starting to become friends- good friends, almost, especially after the thunderstorm fiasco- and then it was cut off as quick as it started.

And, okay, yes, you were also trying to find out if there was some sort of hidden backstory you were missing with Kylo. Nobody at school seemed to know much about him or where he came from- he didn’t even seem to have that many friends, to be honest. And as far as you could tell he didn’t have so much as a facebook page. You weren’t really surprised- he didn’t much seem like a social media person. But all the digging had definitely taken away from your practice time. Where you were usually on top of everything, you found yourself missing cues, counting behind the beat, and missing notes being written into your music by your stand partner (who had been kind enough to not say anything). Even just thinking about him caused your brain to spiral off in a thousand different directions, making your fingers slower than they usually were. You couldn’t really understand it- it’s not like thinking about Rey made you lose time.

Armitage cleared his throat, and you focused back in on him. “Sorry, what now?”

Now he looked concerned. “I was asking you if there was a particular reason for being so distracted. Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine. Thanks for checking in though, I appreciate it.”

“Because you know we have an ensemble competition coming up-”

“I’m well aware of the competition, Armitage.” You sigh, turning back to your old lock. “I’ve never let any of us down before, and I certainly don’t plan on it now.” Finally, the lock pops, and you open the door on squeaky hinges. Before you can say anything else, a folded sheet of notebook paper flutters to the floor in between the two of you. Confused, you stoop to pick it up, unfolding it carefully in case it was homework you had forgotten to file away.

_Meet me at my house after rehearsal- KR_

Kylo.

You couldn’t deny that a little thrill went through you when you saw his initials at the end of the note. Meet him at his house? You could definitely do that. You’d been over there several times since your initial visit, and everyone had always been so warm and welcoming- you almost preferred going there after school rather than back to your own home.

“Who is KR?” Armitage was reading over the edge of the page. You slam the paper to your chest, stuffing it into your bag unceremoniously as you pull it out of your locker.

“No offense, but none of your business. Are we done here? I’ve got to go.”

“Alright, alright. Just- be sure you keep your head in the game, yes?”

“Sure thing!” You run off in direction of the double doors. As you near the turn off to both of your houses, you pause, and look down at your outfit. A ratty band tee and shorts. Not exactly impressive. You should probably fix that before going over, right? Right.

You knock on Kylo’s door, straightening the hem of your shirt.  You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t detoured by your house to pick out something a little cuter than rehearsal gear. Somewhere along the way, you found yourself wanting to impress your partner, so you did your best to find something to suit- including one of the most casual and least preppy outfit you owned.

“Oh, hello, Y/N! Good to see you.” Leia answers the door with her characteristic smile and you find yourself smiling back.

“It’s nice to see you too. Thank you for having me over.”

“Anytime, dear, it’s always nice to see Ben’s friends.”

There it was again… Ben. You couldn’t help but wonder why his parents called him by a different name. Maybe it was his middle name or something? You’d have to ask him about it.

“He’s in the back, if you’d like to go on out.”

You nod gratefully at her and follow her to the back of the house, were a sliding glass door leads out to a small, patchy backyard. Kylo sits on an old rusted swing set, dwarfing the rickety structure as he thumbs through some pages with a hunched back.

“Hey.” You toss down your book bag into the grass and set your flute down much more carefully, before sitting on the other swing beside him. “Whatcha lookin’ at?”

When he looks up and sees you, he smiles- a real smile, not the grimace you usually see on school grounds. You can feel your heart melt a little as those brown eyes warm up into something almost friendly. “Did I tell you we got our project back?” He waves the papers in front of you, and you gape.

“No, you did not!” You squeal, trying to snatch the papers from his hands. He laughs and stands up, holding them high above your head where you can’t reach them, playing keep away. “Okay, not fair. Just tell me what we got, asshole.”

He finally hands them over and you tear the packet open, scanning for red ink notes in the margins. A few here and there, but nothing major, that had to be a good sign, right?

“Flip to the end.”

“I’m going, I’m going!” You do so, and are rewarded with a big fat A written in red and circled at the top of the page. “Oh, yes! We did it!” You shriek, flinging the papers in all directions into the air like you’ve just graduated high school. All at once, you throw your arms around Kylo’s waist, pulling him into a hug and jumping up and down. “We did it, we did it!”

You don’t notice Kylo isn’t laughing until he very slowly wraps his arms around your own waist, pulling you in just the tiniest bit closer. “We did,” he says, but his voice is somber and deep. You’re so close you can hear it rumbling through his chest- oh. Wow. You’re really close.

Kylo doesn’t seem to mind. His hands remain where they are, as do yours, until he releases one to brush back a piece of hair that’s escaped in your excitement. “Congratulations,” he whispers, and for some reason it sends shivers down your spine.

“We- we both pitched in. It’s not just my victory,” you say, a little unevenly, as you can’t stop looking at Kylo’s face. It’s so close you could just reach up and kiss him-

Kiss him? Now where the hell did that thought come from?

Startled, you pull away, and though he seems disappointed he backs off as well, sitting back down on the swing. It groans under his weight. “I just wanted to share the good news.”

“Yeah, thank you.” You’re still a little dazed but you manage to smile at him. And again, he smiles back. A wonderful feeling.

“I guess this is the last time we have to meet.” You sit back down on the other swing, kicking your legs out in front of you to gain some momentum. “Project being over, and all.”

“I guess so.” Kylo looks contemplative as he stares out into the yard, seemingly looking at nothing and something at the same time.

You focus on your own swing, kicking up dirt as you dig your sneaker toe into the ground. “Can I- can I ask you something?”

“Within reason.”

“Why do your parents call you Ben?”

Kylo sighs, like he knew this was coming. “It’s a long story.”

“I’ve got nothing but time.”

He eyes you for a while, just looking. Contemplating. Judging, maybe, like seeing if you’re worthy enough to hear his story. Maybe that’s exactly what he’s doing. But would you pass?

“When I was ten,” he says carefully, “I changed my name. To Kylo Ren.”

“Okay.” Not the answer you were expecting, but you can roll with it. “From Ben?”

He nods. “Ben Solo.”

“Your dad’s name.” You nod, like this makes perfect sense, but really, the gears inside your head are turning. You bite your lip, not sure if you should continue down this path any further.

“Go ahead, ask. I can see it in your face.”

“Well- why did you change your name?”

“A lot of reasons.” Kylo- Ben?- pulls his hands into his lap and laces his fingers together, fidgeting with the ends like he’s nervous. “Mostly, because of my dad. He did some- not good stuff, when he was younger. He went to jail for a long time. While he was in, we decided it might not be a good idea for me to have the same name as him, like mom. She kept her last name when they married,” he explains. “So I changed it. First and last.”

“Did you pick it out?”

That brings a grin to his face. “Yeah. Kylo Ren was just about the coolest name ever to ten year old me, so that’s what stuck, for better or for worse.”

“Well, I think it suits you,” you say. And you mean it.

He looks at you a little gratefully. “Thanks. Mom and dad still call me Ben though, just out of habit.”

“Can I ask what your dad did?”

He nods. “Smuggling, mostly. Illegal items across the border. Not like, drugs, or anything like that, but still. Illegal. He was in prison for about a decade.”

“God, Kylo, I’m so sorry. That must’ve been hell for you.”

He grimaces and runs a hand through his hair. “Yeah, it definitely wasn’t ideal. But we got through it.” He shrugs his shoulders, leaving them hunched up by his ears. “People talk a lot of shit about my dad, and me. They think we’re all criminals. People aren’t exactly receptive, most of the time.”

Suddenly, a thought comes to you, and you blanch. “Oh my god. Did my dad-”

“-kick me out because he knew I was Han Solo’s son? Yes.” Kylo shakes his head, remembering the humiliation of looking over his shoulder as he ran across your lawn back to his house. “Like I said. Not so receptive.”

“But how would he know? If you changed your name…?”

“Word gets around. Especially here in D’Qar. And, Y/N… your dad is a lawyer.”

“Yeah, so?”

Kylo winces, then speaks really, really slowly. Not condescendingly, just… carefully. “Do you know what kind of law he does?”

“Um, not really. Should I?”

“In this case, yeah. He works with border patrol.”

“He does?”

“Particularly, goods being smuggled over the country line.”

“Oh- oh my god. Did my dad…?”

“Yeah. He was the prosecuting lawyer. Long time ago, but he clearly still remembers us. And we remember him.”

“Oh my god. Oh my god! Kylo! Why are you even speaking to me?!”

He gives you a strange look. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Are you kidding me? My dad put your dad in freaking jail! You should be kicking my ass, not being all civil to me.”

“I’m not your father,” he says darkly, and that takes some of the fight out of you. “I can be civil when I want to be. Besides, the sins of the father do not the child make. If there’s anything I’ve learned from all this, it’s that.”

“Okay that is way too deep for me after a three hour band rehearsal.” You rub your temples in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Less philosophical, more snark, okay?”

“I thought you didn’t like the snark.”

“Maybe I was lying.”

Kylo puts a hand over his chest and gasps. “The perfect princess, lying? Absurd.”

“And I’m not a princess!” You laugh. “Look, I’m in jeans, my sneakers have sharpie all over them- I’m practically you!”

He glances down to find your doodled-on sneakers on your feet. “Now how in the world did that happen without your parents noticing?”

“I change out of them before I get home.’ You grin. This was the one act of rebellion you could do in your house. “Whenever I get bored in rehearsal, I add another doodle.”

“Do you have a sharpie on you?” You dig through your bag, finally pulling out a purple one. “Shoe me.” You tease off your left sneaker with the heel of your other foot and hand it over to him. He uncaps the marker and waves it around like some pretend artist before taking it to the instep’s rubber lining. “And- done.”

He hands it back to you, and you look it over, curious. Scribbled underneath some music notes is a phone number written in boy-chicken-scratch. “Now you can get in touch with me without following me home.”

“Or writing secret notes in my locker,” you tease, putting your shoe back on and trying to pretend you weren’t extremely pleased you were now wearing your cute lab partner’s phone number.

“You didn’t like that? I thought it had a certain something to it.”

“Maybe, but I think texting will be easier.”

“Probably.” He grins at you. “But while you’re here- there’s a hand to hand match at the school tomorrow. I was going to go, do you maybe want to come with?”

“Kylo Ren, are you saying you want to hang out with me outside the confines of this lab assignment?”

He’s quiet for a moment- “Well, yeah. Only if you want to, of course.”

“No, that sounds great.” You give him a small smile. “I can go to support Rey as well.”

“Ah, yes, the feisty one. She’s your friend?”

You laugh. “Yes, she’s mine, and feisty she is. There’s never a match she can’t win, it’ll be a good fight.”

“Why hasn’t she dragged you up there one of these days? They take volunteers don’t they?”

You snort. “Yeah, and get my ass handed to me with these lil’ tiny noodle arms?” You flop them out to your sides, emphasizing their skinniness. “No thank you. Flutes aren’t exactly great for strength training.”

“You know, you’ve never played for me.”

‘What, my flute? Do you want me to?”

“I keep hearing all about how you’re world famous and whatnot.” He swings forward, closer to you, and grins. “Only seems fair you give your partner a taste.”

“Fine, fine.” You unzip your case and put the instrument together. It gleams softly in your hands. You don’t get stage fright, not really, but suddenly you were all sorts of nervous. “What- what should I play?”

“Heck if I know, do I look like I know anything about classical music? Just play something pretty.”

You raise the mouthpiece to your lips and play the overture to an upbeat waltz you had learned by heart many moons ago. Kylo leans against the chain connected to the swing, eyes closed, mouth curved faintly into a smile, looking like he could sit there all day. Your eyes were locked on him, and almost fumbled all your notes as you watched this beautiful boy simply sit there and enjoy your music.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

You knock on the door of your dad’s study, knowing he’s in there. He’s always in there. Half your childhood was admonishments from your mother to never, ever bother daddy while he’s working. But this was important.

“Dad? Can I come in?”

After a few seconds he arrives at the door, making sure to only open it enough to where you can see his body and exactly none of the study. “What’s up, sweetheart? I’m working.”

“I know, dad, but you have to hear me out on this one.”

He raises one eyebrow. You rarely were so firm with your parents, but now was a better time than ever. “Why didn’t you tell me why you threw Kylo out? Is it really just because of his dad?”

The angry look in his eye intensifies when you mention Kylo’s name. “Who told you that?”

“Kylo did!”

“You are not to be talking to that boy! I told you this!”

“Dad, we’re partners on a project. You don’t want me getting a bad grade, do you?”

That placated him a little. School, in his eyes, was the be-all-end-all. He didn’t even like you going to band because it took time away from your studies. “Well, after you’re finished. No more communication.”

“Why? Just because you arrested his dad?”

“Why in the world were you even talking about this?” He runs a hand through his salt and pepper hair. “Look, sweetheart, that whole family is a bad group. His father was trafficking all sorts of things into the US illegally, and his wife stood by and watched him, supported him, even after we arrested them. Anything that comes from the two of them is not going to be good news.”

“But Kylo isn’t bad news! He’s just a kid, like me. It’s not like he had anything to do with it. He’s actually-” you try not to blush as you say it- “he can be really sweet.”

“Y/N, are you telling me you actually _like_ this boy?”

“What? No! We’re just friends, is all. He’s not anything like you seem to think he is.”

“I’m telling you, honey, he is bad news, and no daughter of mine is going to be associating with that family. Do you understand?”

“No! Not at all!

“Y/N, this isn’t something you can argue your way out of. You’re not to see him. End of discussion.” He reaches out and ruffles your hair. “Trust me, you have much better friends. Why don’t you hang out with Finn and Poe, or Rey?”

 _Because I want to see Kylo_ , you think, but you would never, ever say that out loud in front of him. You decide to just concede. For now. This wouldn’t be the end of the conversation, that’s for sure. “Fine, dad.”

“That’s my girl.” He retreats back into his office, doing god knows what in there, and you stand at the door with your arms crossed for a minute, trying not to fume. You know your dad isn’t being fair. But because he’s your dad, you supposedly just have to go along with whatever he says blindly? Ugh. You march back to your room and are grateful when your phone rings. A welcome distraction.

“Hello?”

“Hey, chicka, what’s up?”

“Rey, thank god. I have so much to tell you. Are you somewhere you can talk?”

“Of course, always for you. What’s up? You sound upset.”

You recount the whole story to her, starting with that day in the cafeteria. How he had been nothing but a jerk the entire time until suddenly, he wasn’t- he was actually nice, and really funny, and actually pretty sweet. You glossed over the parts about his dad, even though you know Rey would never tell anyone- just saying that he had been to jail, and your dad was the one that arrested him. Wrapping it all up with the conversation you just had with your dad, you sat back onto the pillows on your bed, out of breath. Also, a bit nervous. What if Rey took your dad’s side? What if she thought Kylo was bad news?

“Wow, Y/N. That is… something.”

“I know!” You huff in frustration. “And now we’re supposed to go to the hand to hand competition tomorrow and I don’t know what to do.”

“Ohmigosh, Y/N- are you telling me he asked you out on a _date_?”

“No, Rey, we’re just going to hang out. You know. As friends. We didn’t want to stop talking after the project was over.”

“Sounds like you like him.”

“Well duh, that’s what I’m trying to tell you!”

“No, it sounds like you like him like him.”

Just the thought of it made your face flame, but her words made you pause and consider- did you really like him that way? Is that why you were so upset about your dad’s nearsightedness? “I- I don’t know. Is it bad if I do?”

“No, of course it’s not bad. I just thought he’d be a little, um- dark? For your taste.”

You roll your eyes, even though you know she can’t see it over the phone. “It’s not like he’s completely emo, he just- dresses differently, that’s all.”

“And you l _iiiiiiiiiike_ it.”

“Rey, shut up! Just tell me what I should do!”

“Well hell, Y/N, you already know what I’m going to say.  Come to the fight tomorrow. Go with him, if you like him that much. Who cares what your dad thinks?”

“I do! Ugh, this is such a mess.”

“Look. Girl. You like him. It sounds like he likes you, from the looks of it- I mean, a secret note in your locker? Really? And if even freaking Armitage noticed you were distracted- yeah, I’d say you’re pretty preoccupied with him.”

“You’re not wrong.”

“I know I’m not.” In the distance you can hear music blasting in Rey’s room as she does her homework. “Go with him tomorrow. It’ll be fun. And if your dad asks where you were, just leave him out of it and say you were there to support me.”

“Isn’t that kind of like lying?”

“You’re fudging the truth. Come on, don’t tell me you’ve never lied to your parents before.” The silence you let creep over the phone was answer enough. “Oh my god, Y/N, you are such a goody two shoes. Maybe Kylo is exactly what you need to break you out of your shell,” she continued.

“I am not! I just- yeah. Okay. Point taken.”

“Good. So, I’m assuming you have his number? Text him and tell him you’re going. I’m hanging up, do it right now.”

You sigh. “Thanks, Rey. You’re the best.”

“Anytime, chicka.” There’s a click as she hangs up and you can’t help but stare at your phone screen for a little bit. Why were you so nervous about texting him?

Oh god. Maybe you really did like him.

Brushing that thought aside, you went and got your shoes out of the closet, taking the number down from where Kylo had scribbled it and putting it into your phone.

_Hey. We still on for tomorrow?_


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

Okay, you had to be honest- you’d never been to one of Rey’s fights before. Too many sweaty people, sitting on bleachers- you’d look way out of place! But now you’d have Kylo by your side, and that made you simultaneously a whole heck of a lot more confident and also more nervous. The conversation you had with Rey echoed in your mind as you do one last glance over in the mirror. Yes, you were wearing a skirt, but you’d paired it with a t-shirt and sneakers to make it more… well. Less preppy.

You’d agreed to meet at the gymnasium, because obviously meeting at your house would be a suicide mission. You got there almost thirty minutes early out of sheer nerves, and sat along the brick wall of the entrance, playing some mindless game on your phone to try and distract your racing thoughts. Was this a date? Did you want this to be a date? Did HE want this to be a date? Oh, god, if this was a date you should’ve put on more makeup-

“Hey.” You look up to find him standing by your side, and you can’t help but break out into a smile at them sight of him. “Been waiting long?”

“No, not at all,” you lie, and you try not to blush as he offers you a hand up. You stand, brushing invisible dirt off your skirt, not looking at him.

Oh, lord. You have it bad, don’t you?

“Shall we?” He holds open one of the double doors clearly unaware of your plight.

“We shall.” You giggle slightly at his sudden formal manner on your way into the gym. It’s women’s night, so there aren’t as many in the crowd, but there’s still a decent smattering of supporters all up and down the bleachers. You hesitate- is there some sort of code for where you’re supposed to sit?- but Kylo seems confident as he weaves his way up the stairs and onto a bench in the back, settling comfortably with his hands behind his head. He pats the seat next to him, and you sit- maybe just a hair too close to be casual. Whatever, you weren’t above throwing some hints.

“So what’s been going on? Miss the science project?”

“Nah, you just miss working with me,” he winks, his voice teasing.

Oh, how right you are. “It’s only been a week, Kylo, if I missed you that much it’d be categorically clingy.”

“What can I say, I tend to have that effect on people.”

You roll your eyes. “Right, because they’re just tripping all over themselves to get to you.”

“Hey, you only have me in one class! For all you know, my history block could be full of hot babes.”

“Hot emo babes?” You tease, gesturing to the night’s all black outfit.

“I am not emo. I just appreciate the basics in life.”

“Like being devoid of color?”

“Exactly.”

It was then the buzzer sounded and two girls walked out onto the mat- one of them Rey. Both of you cheered as she donned her protective gear and mouth guard. Catching the sound of your voice, she looks to the top of the bleachers and sees you sitting there with Kylo. She sends you a thumbs up and- you swear to god- you can see her wink behind her mask.

The two square off and at the sound of the whistle, the match begins. Rey is a force of nature, moving at lightning speed and attacking all her opponent’s defenses like she was born to do so. You find yourself on your feet with the rest of the crowd, yelling your head off- and this was just the first match! When Rey is finally declared he winner, you sit with a thud on the bench, exhilarated. “Having fun?” Kylo yells over the roar of the crows as it’s announced Rey will move on to the second round.

“I didn’t know it could be this exciting!”

“It’s definitely a thrill, that’s for sure.”

You settle back down into your seat as the next pair step up to the mat. “You sound like you know what you’re talking about!”

He shrugs. “I might’ve competed a little back in the day.”

“Shut up!” You shove his shoulder, and he shoves back, but so hard you almost fall off the bench, laughing. “You’ve been holding out on me!”

“It wasn’t like I was any good, keep in mind.”

You eye the muscles peeking out of his t-shirt and mental roll your eyes. “Sure you weren’t.”

The two of you barely paused the banter all night- stopping only when Rey was up to bat and be her personal cheerleaders. By the end of the night, she had won by a landslide, and you were dancing in the aisles with glee. “Woohoo! She won!”

‘She’s good enough to go to nationals if she keeps this up.”

“Hell yeah she is.” Your eyes sparkle with pride as Rey takes a well-earned victory lap across the gymnasium, fists high in a victor’s pose.

“Alright, ladies and gents, tonight we’re going to try something a little different.” The announcer comes over the loudspeaker in a booming voice when Rey sits. “Participants willing, we’d like one of the audience members to step down onto the mat, and see what this hand to hand is all about! Don’t worry, she’ll go easy on you.” He winks at the crowd. “Do we have any takers, ladies and gents?”

“Oh my gosh!” You turn to Kylo and shake his arm hard. “You should totally go down and do that!”

“Um, I don’t think so.” He raises an eyebrow at the demonstrator- a tall blonde girl, you think her name is Phasma?- and sits back further in his seat. “Not really my thing anymore.”

“Oh come on, nothing is your thing.” Suddenly, an idea pops in your head. “You know, I played flute for you. So it’s only fair that you show me something of yours.”

“…Fine. But you’re coming down with me.”

“I’m not getting on the mat..!”

“No, but you have to cheer for me at least as loud as you did for Rey, or else I’m going to be incredibly insulted.”

You grin and stand, holding out a hand in a motion for him to follow you down the bleachers. “I think I can do that.” You were a little thrilled when he took your outstretched fingers, but you hoped it didn’t show.

“And we’ve got a contestant!” The crowd cheers as the two of you make your way down the aisle. “Who’s going to be the lucky demonstrator tonight?” Shaking your head, you point to Kylo, and the crowd roars when they see the six foot something boy take his place on the mat.

“What’s your name, son?”

“Kylo.”

“Ever done this before?”

“Quite a bit, actually.” He finds you on the sidelines and gives you a wink.

“How’s about we do a little sparring then?” Phasma steps onto the other side of the blue mat and you can’t help but feel a little twinge of fear for Kylo, even if he says he’s done this before. “Nothing fancy, noting below the belt, just some nice clean fun, howsabout it?” The crowd applauds in agreement, and after Phasma agrees, Kylo does so as well, shrugging his shoulders but immediately assuming a fighting stance. He looked pretty powerful up there for someone who hadn’t done it in a while.

“Basic moves only, alright guys? We don’t want anyone getting hurt here.” The announcer puts his hand in between the pair. “And, three, two, one- fight!”

Right from the get go, you were amazed at Kylo’s obvious skill. Every hit Phasma attempted Was blocked with blinding speed, and he returned in kind, never letting her drop her guard. As things got more heated, the patrons took notice, cheering just as loudly as they had with the actual match. You screamed with the best of them until your voice was hoarse, hoping he could hear you.

Things were going so well- what went wrong, you didn’t know. All you saw was Phasma spin into a deadly looking kick and hit Kylo square on the side of the head, crumpling him to the ground. The ref immediately blows his whistle and makes Phasma back off, yelling something angry at her. You didn’t hear him- your eyes were fixed on Kylo, willing him to brush it off, get up, give that laugh of his and say it was nothing.

He wasn’t getting up.

You run over to the mat, not caring about propriety, and kneel at his side. “Kylo? Oh god, Kylo, are you okay?” Gently, you turn his face into your hand, where a wicked black eye was already starting to form. “Kylo?”

The ref is kneeling beside you, putting a hand on his forehead and obviously not liking what he’s seeing. “You his girlfriend?”

“I- we-”

“She got him pretty good- what the hell was she thinking? Stay right here, I’m going to call an ambulance.”

“Ambulance? Kylo?!” Your voice rises in pitch as the ref pulls out his cellphone.

“Look, it’s probably nothing, he’s a big guy- but he’s unconscious, and we don’t want to take any chances.”

“Oh my god-” you turn back to him, still lying on the mat, mouth open just a hair as he takes in shallow breaths. “Kylo, please get up. Get up! Kylo!”

He doesn’t.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

The ride to the hospital was pretty depressing, with the EMTs swarming Kylo and leaving you with your thoughts. Which were nothing good, at the moment. You were the one who had said he should go down there. Technically, all this was your fault. And what the hell was that Phasma girl thinking? She had a reputation for being a bit of a wild card, but as far as you knew she had never outright assaulted anyone.

Maybe you could send Rey after her. Or get her to teach you some moves so you could go after her yourself.

“Miss?” You glance up as the ambulance slows into what you assume is the hospital parking lot. We’re going to get him set up in a room. If you wait in the lobby, you should be able to see him within the hour.”

“Um-” you glance at Kylo’s pale body on the stretcher and to your horror, tears begin to form in your eyes. “Is there any way I can stay with him? Please.”

The EMT looks at you for a moment before nodding, and saying a bunch of code words to the team opening the back of the truck and pulling Kylo out. “Okay. Stay out of our way and answer questions only when needed. If you keep quiet, you can stay with him. Got it?”

You nod gratefully and follow the stretcher into the blinding light of the ER.

The room was a little better- it had a dimmer switch, so the light wasn’t nuclear white- but the dark only served to accentuate your thoughts and the fact that Kylo was still very much unconscious. You had pulled a chair up to the side of his bed and woven your fingers loosely with his- it made you feel better, feeling the warmth and reassuring yourself that no, silly, he’s not dead. Even though it kinda felt like it.

The only other noise was the bustling of the hospital outside the thick wooden door and the soft beeps of the monitors they had hooked him up to, giving you the perfect opportunity to let some of those tears slip down your cheeks and sniffle a bit. All your fault. You never should have told him to go up there-

“Hey, princess.” You look up and Kylo has his eyes open, if only barely. But his head is turned on his pillow and looking at you, meaning thank the gods, he’s awake. “What’s wrong?”

You laugh a little and wipe your cheek with the palm of your hand. “What’s wrong is that you scared me to death, Kylo. Do you remember what happened?”

He frowns, and shifts a little under the sheets. “Yeah, that girl completely wrecked me after the ref said basic moves only. I wasn’t expecting it at all.”

“I’m so sorry, Kylo, it’s all my fault. I never should have told you to go up there-”

“What, it’s your fault some random chick decided to test her moves and be an asshole?” It’s weak, but the sarcasm still shines through, putting you at a world of ease. “Come on, princess, we both know that’s not true.”

“I’m going to forgive you because maybe you lost your memory when you gained that black eye—” you gently run a finger over the bruised skin, being careful not to put any actual pressure on the wound- “but I’m no princess.”

“Compared to me, the emo dude who wears all black and hates everything? Yeah, you are.” There’s a fondness in his voice that you’d never noticed before, like it was a term of endearment rather than the slightly degrading tone your father always took on when he called you princess. And honestly, you really, really liked it.

Kylo just seemed to notice that your hands were entwined. He stares at them for a minute, like he doesn’t know what to make of it, and you pull away quickly, embarrassed that you’d even done it. “Sorry- sorry, like I said, you scared me, and I just-”

Wordlessly, he grabs your hand and links fingers with you. “Not what I meant,” he rasps, and squeezes your palm. “Thank you, for being here with me.”

“Well of course, what was I going to do, just leave you on the mat?”

“Knowing my luck, I wouldn’t be surprised.” He coughs a little, then settles back down. “So much for a great first date, huh?”

His words stop you in your tracks. “D- date?”

“Uh. yeah. I thought it was pretty obvious. But I mean, if that’s not something you want, that’s totally fine, it didn’t have to be-”

You’d never seen Kylo nervous before, but the rambling gave it away. “Hey.” He stops, and looks at you. “I think I’m just now realizing that’s exactly what I wanted.”

“Oh.” He smiles his first real smile since he’s woken up, and though that statement was entirely true, you were so glad you could make him smile like that. “Well. That’s good.”

“Yeah.” You run a thumb over the back of his hand in a comforting gesture and his eyes flutter close.

“Hey now. Don’t disappear on me.”

“On you? Nah, you’re gonna be stuck with me for a long time.”

“Is that so?” You giggle a little. “I think you’re just loopy from the pain meds.”

He glances at the IV dripping into the crook of his arm, then back at you. “Probably. But I meant what I said.”

Hope flared in your chest. “Kylo, you’re drugged and in pain, I’m not going to hold anything against you if-”

“No, I mean it. Listen to me.” He shifts sideways so that he’s looking directly at you, and you can’t help but think how much younger it makes him look almost cuddled up in the bed like this. “I really, truly, honestly wanted this to be a date. I was supposed to take you to Maz’s afterwards and everything-”

“The diner?” He nods carefully. “I kind of love that place.”

“I know you do. I asked Rey beforehand.”

“You asked Rey? And she didn’t tell me? That little-”

Now he’s laughing. “I made her promise not to. I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Well, now you officially know that I would have loved that. So nicely done.”

“Too bad it got ruined.”

“I don’t know.” You mock glance around the room, pretending to appraise it. “Mood lighting. The lovely sounds of medical equipment. You, confessing everything in a haze of medicine. Tonight is turning out pretty okay.”

“I told you, it’s not the medicine.”

You sigh. “I want to believe that, Kylo. Believe me, I really do. But what in the world would you ever be interested in in a girl like me?”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Uh, no, not really. You said it yourself, you’ve probably got girls lined up at the door to go out with you.”

“Okay, first of all, I was just trying to make you laugh. Secondly-” he puts his other hand over your joined ones, effectively stalling the rest of the brainpower you’d maintained throughout this conversation. “I’ve been watching you since that first day in the cafeteria.”

“You- what?”

“You ran into me because I was staring at you and didn’t move out of the way in time,” he admits sheepishly. “I was thinking, damn, that’s exactly the girl I’m never going to get to have, then boom. Ketchup everywhere.”

  
“I-” this was definitely new information. “You didn’t know anything about me, how could you possibly…?”

“Well, I knew you were beautiful. That much is obvious. I know I thanked every deity there might be out there when you dropped your books down on my lab table. I know I asked around about you because I was too nervous to just ask you myself.”

“You asked about me?”

“Oh, yeah.” He cracks a grin. “Pretty sure half the school is now aware I have a thing for you.”

“Sure have a funny way of showing it,” you tease, thinking back to the nickname you had given him in the very beginning.

“Yeah, my default is kind of to be an asshole and see who sticks around despite that.” He scratches his head, wincing a little. “Not a great method, I’m aware. But it’s kind of engrained in me by now.”

“Why?”

He sighs. “Because everyone expects me to be an asshole, with my family and the way I dress and how I look- and it’s easier to just give them what they want.”

You poor, sweet boy.  “I’m really glad you told me, Kylo.”

“I think I am too. Despite the circumstances.” He brushes away a piece of hair that had fallen into your eye, but his hand hovers there afterwards, unsure. You take the cue and lean your head into his palm, smiling.

“I like you so much, and I have no idea how or why,” he whispers. “I’ve only known you so long I can count it on one hand, but yet…”

“It’s okay.” You smile at him. ‘I feel the same way.”

“You do?”

You nod, putting a hand up to keep his palm against your cheek. “Guess I just have a thing for assholes.”

Suddenly, he’s swinging out of bed, feet on the floor, sitting on the edge of his mattress. “Whoa, hey, what’s up? I don’t think you should be out of bed yet-”

He cuts you off in the sweetest way possible- a kiss, right there in the hospital room. The IV line got a little in the way, and you were so surprised you basically missed his mouth, but still- a kiss. And once you got into the flow of things, a really, really amazing kiss. One that sent sparks shooting down your spine and made the whole room seem to go brighter. Hesitantly, you put a hand on the back of his neck, and the noise he makes makes you want to absolutely devour him. But you stay put, for fear of hurting him further, and let the kiss be sweet nothings and light touches.

He pulls away first, looking at you with pure wonder in his eyes, and you can’t help but giggle a little at his surprised expression. “Surprise. I like you too.”

He’s about to go in again when there’s a knock on the door. You both reluctantly, but quickly disengage, Kylo hopping back into bed and you scooting the chair a couple inches back. To your relief, Leia and Han walk in with the doctor.

“Hey, kiddo.” Han sits on the opposite side of the bed. “Remember when I told you to never do something I would do? Well, this qualifies.”

“It wasn’t his fault,” you pipe up, looking between the both of them. “Some girl at school came after him for no reason.”

Han’s face turns dark. “Are you sure it was no reason?”

You don’t pick that up until you hear Kylo sigh. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure she was just being a jerk, to be honest.” Oh. He thought she knew something about him. You really hoped that wasn’t the case.

Leia comes over behind your chair and puts a hand on each shoulder, kissing the crown of your head in a motherly way. “We can’t thank you enough for staying with him, Y/N.”

“Oh, of- of course, it was absolutely no problem.” You’re glad the room is dark so they can’t eye the blush spreading over your cheeks as you think about what was probably going to happen again right before they walked in.

“The doctor has cleared him to go home. No concussion, luckily, just a nasty bruise, and he said you might be out of it for a while. Do you need a ride home, dear?”

It takes you a minute to tear your eyes off of Kylo and realize she’s talking to you. “Oh, um, no, I can just call my parents and have them pick me up. Thank you though, really.”

“Of course, honey. Anytime. Ready to go?”

Kylo nods and shoves the sheets aside, standing up with his dad at his side for assistance. You follow them out of the room and to the main lobby where Han and Leia go to pull the car around, leaving the two of you blissfully alone.

“You have to promise me something.”

You glance up at him. “Within reason.”

“We’re going to have a do-over date. Because this, this is just not acceptable.”

You crack a grin. “I think that can be arranged.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so glad so many people are enjoying this story! Sorry for the cliffhanger on the last chapter (teehee)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

You were sort of dreading calling your parents, but you really didn’t want to be a burden on Han and Leia, not when they had Kylo to take care of. So, sitting in the lobby, you took a deep breath and pulled out your phone.

“Hey, pumpkin, what’s up? How did Rey do at the fight?”

“Oh, yeah, she was great. Um, I kind of need you to come and pick me up…”

“Pick you up? Did you go out with Rey afterwards to celebrate?”

You wince. “Not… exactly. I’m kind of at the hospital…”

“The hospital?! Are you okay? What happened?”

“No, dad, I’m totally fine. Someone at the fight got hurt, and I went to the hospital with them to make sure they were okay.”

“Rey got hurt? How odd, she’s usually on top of her game. I’ll be there in twenty minutes, just sit tight.”

He hung up and you breathed a sigh of relief. If he wanted to think Rey was the one that was injured, let him. You didn’t think you could lie directly to his face about it.

When he pulled up in the circle you happily hopped in, glad the night was over and Kylo was okay, relatively speaking. “Y/N, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, dad, it’s not like I was the one who was doing the fighting.”

“Well, no, but still. Seeing your friend hurt like that can’t be easy.”

You look out the window at the darkened street, leaning your forehead against the cool glass. “Yeah. Not fun.”

“How exactly did she get hurt?”

You sigh. “Some girl got overexcited and kicked him right in the face. Left a nasty bruise.”

Your dad stops at a red light and turns around in his seat to look at you. “He?”

Shit. “Uh, no, I meant she. Obviously.”

“I thought you said Rey was the one who got hurt.”

“She did! Was. She’s okay now.”

“Hm.” He turns back around and pulls forward, but you didn’t have a good feeling about this at all. “Did you go with anyone?”

“Um, nope, just me.”

“That doesn’t sound like very much fun.”

“Oh, no, it was fine. I enjoyed it, really.”

You rode in silence for a few minutes, and you really thought you were in the clear, until your dad says- “you were there with him, weren’t you.”

“What? Who’s him?”

“You know exactly who I mean.” His grip on the steering wheel is clenched like he wants to break it in half. “You were there with that Ben Solo.”

“Dad, I never even mentioned him-”

“He was the one who got hurt, wasn’t he? Doesn’t surprise me. That kid has always been nothing but bad news.”

You stay silent, thinking it the best course of option, but apparently your silence answers for you.

“I thought we agreed you were not to see him.”

“You agreed, dad, I had no opinion on the matter!”

“That’s because you’re too young to know what’s good for you! Apparently, I have to treat you like a child because you won’t obey!”

You pull into your house and he stops hard, jarring you forward into your seat. “Let me see your phone.”

“What the heck? No, dad, that’s private.”

“As long as you live under my house and my roof and I pay for that goddamned thing, it is not yours, it is _mine_. Now hand it over.”

You thought about handing it over still locked, but that would probably just make him even more angry, so you put in your thumbprint and handed it to him in the front seat, practically trembling. You’d never seen him this angry before. He rips it from you and goes to your texts. Other than Rey and Finn, Kylo is at the very top, and he sees it immediately, tapping the conversation open and scrolling through, reading your texts from last night.

“I’m very disappointed in you, Y/N.”

“Dad-”

“I thought you could be trusted to mind me, but it doesn’t seem like that’s the case. You’re grounded. For a week. I’ll be taking you to and from school, and I will be talking to Mr. Tarkin about having you two separated.”

“What the hell, dad?’ you want to be outraged, but all that comes out is a pitiful acceptance. You should have expected something like this.

“ _Don’t_ use that type of language with me! Get in the house. I need to talk to your mother about this.” The last thing you see is your dad tapping on Kylo’s contact and deleting it from your phone.

You slam the door much harder then was necessary and storm up the stairs. When your mother appears from around the corner,  the absolute last person you want to see right now, it takes all you have from just screaming in her face. “Hey, how was the fight?”

“Why don’t you fucking ask dad? He’s going to be telling you ALL ABOUT IT!” You run to your room as the tears fall, throwing yourself on the bed and sobbing into a pillow.

Why did he have to pick this to ruin? This wonderful, burgeoning something- you didn’t know what even to call it- but all you know is that it’s precious and special and goddamn it you didn’t want to lose it!

But it looked like you were going to anyways.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

You were going to have to lie. You had no choice. Because not seeing him after what happened at the hospital was agony. You didn’t pass him in the hallways, he got transferred to another lunch, and you were sure Mr. Tarkin was taking great pride in keeping the two of you from even passing notes. Your dad’s handiwork, no doubt. You’d never so openly defied your parents before, but you were running out of options and you were afraid Kylo was feeling the same way after four days of no communication whatsoever.

That was confirmed when one day he finally cornered you at your locker. He didn’t look mad, per say, but definitely upset and a little wounded. “Y/N. Can we talk?”

“Okay, I have to make this quick.” You keep taking your books out of your locker, pretending to be seemingly disinterested in the conversation in case any teachers were watching, but in reality the gravity of your voice belied your involvement. “My dad found out we were at the fight and he flipped out. I can’t be seen with you or the teachers will report it. I don’t even have your number in my phone anymore.”

“What the hell? He actually-”

“Shhh! Here’s what I’m going to do. Tonight, I’m going to tell him I have to work on a school project with Rey. I’ll walk from her house to yours, and back before he comes to pick me up. That should give us at least an hour or so. Okay?”

He nods wordlessly, and goes to move off into the crowded hallway, but before he does so you glance around. No teachers in sight. You grab his hand and pull him back in, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before releasing him. “I’m really sorry about this, okay?”

He has a little smile on his mouth now, and he shakes his head as if to say it’s not your fault before moving back in to the flow of students going every which way. You watched him go, heart hurting, knowing that your plan was risky but it was all you had.

“Hey dad? Got a bit of an issue.” You keep your backpack on your shoulders to hopefully make your ruse more believable. “I know I’m grounded and all, but I was partnered with Rey on a project and it’s due tomorrow. Can I go over to her house to work on it? She’s the one who has the materials.”

Your dad stares at you for a good minute before finally relenting. “Fine. But I will be taking you and picking you up.”

“I figured. Thanks, dad!” In an effort to keep up the ruse, you actually went up and kissed him on the cheek, happy-go-lucky as could be and pretending nothing was wrong. It made you kind of sick to your stomach, but anything that could help you at this point was going to have to go.

“Hey, Rey. We good?”

“Yeah, wait a few minutes til your dad drives off and then head out.” She peeks out her bedroom curtain where your dad is sitting in her driveway on the phone. “That way he won’t see you leave.”

“And your mom is good?”

“Oh yeah, she knows what to tell your parents if they call. Just be sure you’re back here by pickup time, I don’t know how we could talk ourselves around that one.”

“God, you guys are such saints.” You give her a hug which she happily returns.

“I’m just happy to see you doing normal teenage stuff for once. Sneaking around behind your parent’s back? The three of us are watching this like a soap opera. We’ll do anything we can to help.”

“You guys are the best.” You check the window. “Okay, I’m gone. I’ll be back in an hour, cross my heart.”

“Leave through the back door!” She calls after you as you race down the stairs.

You arrive at Kylo’s house sweaty and out of breath, but you wanted as much time with him as possible, so running was the way to go. When you knock, he answers and lets you in. “My parents aren’t home, so it’s just us. I hope that’s okay.”

Normally that would also break a major rule in the dad book, but you were already breaking so many, what the hell. “Yeah, yeah that’s fine.”

He leads you to the living room and collapses on the couch, patting the cushion beside him in an invitation to sit down. You did one better- you throw your arms around his neck as soon as you sit, pulling him into a tight hug. He returns it, hands around your waist, and you bury your face in the crook of his neck. “I’m so, so sorry about this,” you mumble. “I never meant for this to happen.”

“Hey. It’s not your fault. Your parents are certified dicks, but there’s nothing you can do about that.”

You laugh a little. “I guess not.”

“So how did he find out?”

“After he picked me up from the hospital I accidentally let it slip that it was a he who got hurt instead of Rey.”

“And he took your phone?”

“Took my phone, read our messages, and deleted your number.”

“Why didn’t you just get it back off of your shoe?”

You stare at him for a moment, then groan, flinging your head back onto the sofa. “I didn’t even think about that! He hasn’t been letting me go to band rehearsal so they’ve been hiding in my closet!”

“You can’t go to band practice?”

You shake your head. “I guess you might join the band or something? I don’t even know what he’s thinking at this point. He’s gone completely crazy in the head.”

“Or maybe he was always like that, and you just never noticed.”

You paused. Thought for a moment. “Yeah. Yeah, probably.”

“But hey, cheer up. Grounding is almost over, right?”

“Right. But I don’t think he’s going to let this one go, he seems really mad about it.”

Kylo puts his arm around your shoulder, and you lean into it, sighing. “Well, we’ll just have to change his mind somehow. ‘Cause I’m not giving you up right when I’ve just gotten you.”

“About that.” You look up at him from where you’re leaned against him. “You really still mean everything you said? Back in the hospital?”

“Christ, Y/N, how many times do I have to tell you! I like you, for crying out loud! Is that so hard to believe?”

You laugh at his exasperated tone and elbow him lightly in the stomach. “Someone as cute as you? Yeah, it kind of is. But I guess I’ll just have to get used to it.”

“You think I’m cute?”

“When I ran into you in the cafeteria, the first thing I thought was, what an asshole, and the second thing was, what a handsome asshole. Though I may be paraphrasing.”

“Huh.” He grins and shakes his head.

“What?”

“Who would’ve thought someone like me would be with someone like you?”

“Modern day Romeo and Juliet, that’s us.”

“Speaking of which. When am I going to get to see you?”  
“Geez, I don’t even know. Dad is watching me like a hawk, and I don’t want to have to use Rey as a scapegoat every single time.”

“You could always sneak out.”

You stared at him. “I’m sorry, have you met me? Do I seem like the sneaking out type?”

“Come on, not even for me?”

“Well, that’s different.” You pause. “Where? And when?”

“There’s an old bridge down in the middle of the woods that I found when I was walking one day. We could meet there.”

“Oh my god, you had to choose the most cliché spot,” you tease. “That’s like hookup central 101!”

“Hey, it’s a classic for a reason! Secluded, quiet, dark…”

“Kylo Ren, when you say it like that it sounds positively sinful.”

He winks at you. “Now you’re getting the idea.”

Slowly, a smile spreads across your face as you turn this new idea over and over in your mind. You liked it more and more the more you thought about it. “Okay, when?”

“Let’s give it a week. And maybe we shouldn’t see each other in there, just to throw your dad off the scent.”

“Kylo, I could barely go four days without seeing you. A week?”

“I know. But it’ll help, trust me. I’ve been running things around adults for a long time.”

“Fine,” you huff, sitting back on the couch.

“Hey, don’t get all mad.” He scoots back over to you and boops his nose on yours in an effort to cheer you up. “We don’t have to do it if you don’t want to, it was just an idea.”

“No, I want to. It may be the only way we ever get time together.”

“Cool.” His grin is as wide as you’ve ever seen it.

“How are you feeling, by the way?”

“Eh, head still hurts a bit, but nothing major. The bruise is almost gone.”

“So I see.” You run your fingers lightly over the wound and he catches your hand, pulling it to his mouth to kiss your fingers. You smile. “Trying to seduce me, are you?”

“Well, what else are we going to do for the next-” he checks his phone- “thirty five minutes?”

“Just kiss me already, you idiot.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

The night of, you shoved your phone under your pillow and turned the ringer to the lowest possible volume, to guarantee you wouldn’t wake anyone in the house. It turns out you didn’t need it, however, because you were wired and wide awake the entire night. When midnight rolled around you were sitting on your bed, knees to your chest, grinning stupidly to yourself at the thought of _holy shit, you were actually doing this_. Strangely, you weren’t nervous. The thought of seeing Kylo uninterrupted for more than an hour was plenty motivation to get your ass out of the house.

Now, what does one wear to a clandestine meeting with a handsome guy in the middle of the woods at night?

You threw on some jeans, long sleeves, and a hoodie, but compensated by doing your makeup a bit and throwing on the sneakers he had doodled on what felt like a lifetime ago. You didn’t want him thinking you hadn’t tried, late as it may be- you had a reputation to uphold, after all.

Sneaking down the stairs was the easy part- you’d mastered the trek without a squeak long ago when you were younger for late-night ice cream runs. Funny how you escalated from sweets-stealing right to sneaking out. You would have giggled for fear of being caught. The garage was a little trickier. You ended up raising the door by hand to make less noise and actually pushing the car out to the street before starting it up. Paranoid? Maybe. But better safe than sorry.

The drive was smooth, with little cars out on the road, and you turned on the mixtape Kylo had made for you (somehow he had gotten your locker combination and left it in there as a surprise). Singing along, you opened the windows just a crack to let the wind play with your hair as you flew down the back roads, headlights illuminating an ever-thickening forest. There was a little gravel pull-off that marked the entrance to the bridge’s path, and your heart gave a little stutter when you realized there was a car already there. Cutting the engine let the nighttime swarm in, filling you with the sound of crickets and pale starlight, you once again let yourself revel in the fact that you were actually here. Away. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, you grabbed a post it note and sharpie from your backpack in the backseat and scribbled a bunch of hearts and silly doodles on it, tucking it underneath Kylo’s windshield wiper before heading down the path. With luck, he wouldn’t notice it ‘til tomorrow.

Your sneakers cracked a few sticks on the way there, despite using your phone’s flashlight to see by. Eventually, you put the phone away and just ran, not caring if the mud got on the hem of your jeans or the gravel made crunching noises. Who else was out here to hear you? You slowed when you saw a black-silhouetted figure sitting on the railing of the bridge, feet dangling towards the slow-moving water beneath him. You smiled, taking in the view, before wandering up to meet him. The old boards of the bridge rattled and creaked as you crossed, and Kylo turned, hitting you with that megawatt grin that was brighter than the moon above the moment he saw you.

“All black, really? What happened to the prep princess? You look like you’re about to rob a bank,” he teased, pulling up the hood of your black jacket and shoving it over your head.

“Oh, I look like a bank robber? Hey, quit it!” You shoved off the hood with a laugh and ran a hand through your hair to fix the probably now frizzy loose ends. “I’m not the one with studs on my jeans and wearing fingerless gloves.”

“Eh.” He shrugs with a little half smile on his face. ‘You know you love it.”

“That I do.” You swung yourself over the edge of the railing to sit with him, Kylo steadying you when you overshot just a hair. You looked at him. He looked at you. Both of you had grins on your face that belied just how stupidly infatuated you were with the person sitting across from you. “Hi,” you whispered, face just a few inches from his. Close enough that you could see the stars flickering in his eyes.

“Hi back.” He nuzzles your nose with his own before putting his mouth to yours. You raised a hand and put it behind his neck, feeling his curls tickle your fingers, and you tugged a little on the strands, making him rumble deep down in his throat. God, you loved that sound. It went straight through you. “That’s not fair. If I kiss you any harder we’ll end up in the water.”

“Guess you’ll just have to deal then, lover boy.”

“Hm.” His nose crinkled and you laughed at his seemingly off-put expression. “You drive me crazy, you know that?”

“You know you love it.”

“Touche.” He grabs your hand and turns it over in between his palms a few times before lacing his fingers through your own. “Want to take a swim?”

“Kylo, at one in the morning? It’ll be freezing!”

“Aw, come on, what happened to little miss rebel over here? Sneaking out and defying her parents all to see her boyfriend from the other side of the tracks?” He peels off his socks ad shoes, tossing them behind him, before rolling up his jeans and hopping down from the ledge. You could hear the splash as he handed. “It’s not that cold, come on. I’ll catch you.”

You, however, were frozen in your seat. Boyfriend. He had called himself your boyfriend. I mean at this point, he basically was, but you’d never said it out loud before, even if you’d thought it a million times in your head- “do you mean that?”

He looks up from wiggling his toes in the water. “Mean what?”

“That- you’re my boyfriend.” The weird look on his face is enough to send you into spasms of giggles, and you grab the railing on either side to steady yourself. “Hey, I’m just asking! I don’t think we’ve ever-”

“-said that before?” He wades over to you -because of course the asshole is tall enough to reach the bridge from the water- and puts one hand on either side of your crossed legs, covering your hands with his own. “That’s a damn shame.” He smiles crookedly. “Because I’d hate to like you this much and not be able to call you my girlfriend.”

“Aw, Kylo-” you let your forehead thunk against his, just breathing him in. “Why are you so-”

“Sweet? Charming? Recklessly good looking?” He shrugs his shoulders, trying to look innocent. “Beats me, toots. I’m just working with what I was born with.”

You roll your eyes nut still have to grin, despite yourself. “Says the man who dyes his hair.” He sticks out his tongue at you, and you stick out yours back, reaching down to loosen the ties on your sneakers, then shucking them off. “Help me down, sir sweet and charming and recklessly handsome.”

You hold out your arms like a little kid waiting to be picked up by their mom and he obliges, lifting you down into the water cradle-style - but not before spinning you around a few times until you can hardly see straight. “You’re such an ass, Kylo!” You rub your eyes, trying to get your bearings. He sets you down and you can feel the water run over your ankles, algae between your toes. “I swear to god-” You take a step and immediately stumble.

“Whoa, hey there-” Hey slips an arm around your waist and pulls you in closer, much to your delight. “Don’t go breaking an ankle on me. Dr. Smith would never forgive me.”

“He’d kill you in your sleep,” you giggle, grabbing a fistful of Kylo’s similarly black sweatshirt to steady yourself with. “His wrath knows no bounds.”

“Don’t I know it.” His hand is tracing a slow circle on your back, and the shiver that runs through you has nothing to do with the cold water you’re standing in. “And- Ben.”

You pull away a little. “Say again?”

He ducks his head, like he’s embarrassed, but there’s a warm glow in his eyes. “You can call me Ben. Only- if you want to. Obviously.”

“Really? You’d let me?”

“Well, yeah. I trust you.”

Three simple little words, yet they had the power to make you a little weak in the knees. “Okay.” You pull him down to meet you, smiling against his lips as you kiss him. “Ben.”

The two of you stood there for what seemed like hours, just drinking each other in. Something about the dark made you a little bolder than you normally would be, and you kissed him like you never had before, all teeth and sharp edges and breathless want. He retaliated in kind, nipping your bottom lip and sliding his hands down your back until they were almost sinfully low. Eventually you had to pull away, out of breath and exhilarated. How far would you go, you wondered. He’s been your first, well, everything. How many firsts would you have with him?

  
“Hey, you okay?” Kylo- _Ben_ \- was looking at you concernedly, running a light hand over your cheek to brush away an invisible something or other. “Too much?”

“No.” You kissed him one more time, briefly, and encircled your arms around his waist. “Perfect. I’m just a little out of breath,” you admitted sheepishly, feeling your heart pump out of its chest like it did after a particularly satisfying solo run.

“Ah. I can fix that, you know.”

“Fix it? No offense, but you’re the one who caused it!”

“And why would I take offense at that?” He squeezes you into a too-tight hug before settling his hands on your hips. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do,” he whispers in your ear, sending a shiver down your spine that made you want to kiss him all over again.

“Really.”

“Really really. Since the moment I saw you, all I’ve ever wanted to do is this…” he leans in for another kiss and your eyes flutter close- only to get hit with a splash of cold water to the face. Your eyes pop open and your mouth drops- bad idea, now you can taste the water as well- and you get a lovely view of Kylo a few feet in front of you, laughing his head off at your now pissed off expression.

“Ben mutherfucking Solo!” His laughter echoes off the trees as you reach down for a palmful of water and hurl it back at him, hitting him square in the chest. “You are the absolute worst!”

He flicks you again, this time with his foot, soaking the right leg of your pants, and oh, it is so on right now. You step back and fling cupfuls of water at his face, aiming for that perfect hair of his, and he’s hitting right back- he can scoop up more water in those big hands of his- and all of a sudden it’s an all out water war, no holds barred and everything fair game. By the end of it the both of you were soaked, giggling your heads off, and a little loopy due to the late night.

“Okay, okay! Hey- stop! I surrender!” You squeal as one last drench of water comes down upon your head, and he swoops in for a kiss. It’s sloppy, with both of you laughing and off balance, but there in the middle of the stream, with rocks cutting into your feet, wet jeans chilling you to your core, and Kylo’s hands cupping your face, there was no where you’d rather be.

“God, now I’m freezing.” You pull your soaked jacket away from your body, trying to air it out. “And I bet my mascara is everywhere.”

“Here, c’mere.” He uses the pad of his thumb to wipe away water and ink under your eye. “It’s cute, in a raccoon sorta way.”

“Oh, shut the hell up.” You giggle as his thumbs come away brown. “You know, your hair is cute when it’s wet.”

“Okay, yeah, laugh it up.” He shakes his head like a dog, spraying water everywhere. “That’s how you know I love you- I’m willing to mess up my hair for you.”

“I’m flattered,’ you tease, running a hand through those black locks almost reverently. He lets you, smiling a little as you do. “And-” you rest your head on his chest- “I love you too.”

“Well that’s good, otherwise this whole shindig would be a bit embarrassing.” But he pulls you in close, his head resting on your shoulder. His breath tickles your neck and spreads a warm glow all the way down to your toes.

“Are those… fireflies?”

You turn to see flashes of light specking the trees behind you. ‘They’re huge, if they are. I wonder-”

And that was when the first beam of a flashlight hit you in the face.

“I’ve got them! They’re over here!” A gruff voice shouted and all at once the two of you were swarmed with people, on the bridge, at the sides of the creek, and a few even in the water trudging up from downstream.

“What the hell is-” Kylo pulled you closer, almost protectively, and you leaned into him, trying not to look scared. “What the hell is this?”

“I think they’re cops.”

“Cops?!” Your face went white. _Oh, god, no no no, this could not be happening-_

“Kylo Ren. Step away from the girl.” Kylo gently extracted himself from you, holding his hands up in the air like he was some criminal.

“No!” You grab his hand, pulling him back towards you. He squeezes it gratefully. “What the hell is going on? Somebody tell us!”

A single cop steps forward, and in the light of the flashlights reflecting off the water you can see shiny silver handcuffs dangling from his grasp. “Kylo Ren. You’re under arrest for kidnapping and endangerment of a minor. Anything you say can and will be held against you in the court of law-”

“This is bullshit! Kylo didn’t kidnap me! He didn’t hurt me!” You turn to the cop who was still reciting rights. “You can’t arrest him! He hasn’t done anything!”

“Y/N Y/L/N? You’re going to need to come with us.” Someone starts pulling on the arm not attached to Kylo, and you wrench it away.

“Kylo. I don’t know what happened, I swear to god-”

“It’s okay, Y/N.” He presses a kiss to the top of your forehead and then steps aside, releasing your hand. “Just go with them. It’ll be okay.”

Tears are streaming down your face as another cop leads you in the opposite direction, her hands firm as the manacles currently being wrapped around Kylo’s wrists. “Let go of me! I need to stay with him!” You struggle, but more cops surround you, and soon you’re marching through the woods, the stream all but a distant memory.

Police cars have taken over the small gravel parking lot in the beginning of the woods. Red and blue lights reflect off yours and Kylo’s car. You can see the little note you left him fluttering in the breeze- right before it’s picked up by a gloved cop and put into some clear plastic baggie.

“This is ridiculous. Kylo _didn’t_ kidnap me. I snuck out! I went of my own free will. Please, somebody listen to me!” A towel is thrown around your shoulders, and you regretfully feel a little grateful. “This is a big mistake!”

“We’ve got them both. Heading back to the station now.” The female speaks into a walkie-talkie she pulled from her hip.

“Copy that.”

She bundles you into a police car, your pleas still falling on deaf ears, and shuts the door with a finality that scares you. Through the tinted window you can see Kylo being led out of the woods in handcuffs, making you want to scream and bang on the glass. Somehow you didn’t think that would earn you too many points. So you sat there, still crying, as he was put into a car and sped away.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

The lights of the police station were so bright you had to squint through them after the darkness outside. Fluorescents flickered and cops of all types hurried back and forth underneath, answering ringing phones or talking to one another in hushed tones. You sat in an unoccupied corner, shivering from the dampness of your clothes despite the blanket they had forced around your shoulders. A cup of coffee sat untouched by your side. You wanted it desperately, if only for the warmth, but you refused to take anything from them you didn’t have to. These people had it all wrong, but no one was listening to you. You hadn’t seen Kylo since you were brought in, but you hoped he was okay. Relatively speaking. You could still taste the sweetness from his lips as he kissed you in the stream, and you raised your fingers to your own mouth, recalling the perfect moment like it was the last time you might ever get one with him.

“Y/N?” You raised your head to see the same woman who had dragged you from the woods. “If you’ll come with me please?”

“No.” You wrapped your arms around your knees. “Not until you tell me what’s going on.”

“I’ll answer all the questions you may have in the interrogation room. Now-”

“Interrogation room? I haven’t done anything wrong! Unless you’re in the business of arresting kids for sneaking out at night!” She made a grab for your hand again but you pulled away. “And neither did Kylo!”

“Please, miss Y/L/N-”

“Where is my son?”  A familiar voice boomed through the room, as commanding as any police officer could ever hope to be. “What have you done to my son!”

“Han, please-”

“No, Leia, they need to answer me! Where is Ben?”

“Oh my god.” You wrench away from the woman in front of you and run to the main room, where Han is looming menacingly over the main desk, Leia at his side trying to placate him. “Leia? Han?”

Leia turns, and the look in her eyes immediately softens. “Oh, honey, come here.” She immediately pulls you into a hug and you sniffle into her shoulder, trying not to let your tears get onto her shirt. Your mascara had all washed off long ago.

“Leia, I’m so sorry, I don’t know what’s going on- they arrested Kylo and I don’t know why!”

“Shhh, honey it’s okay. We’re going to figure this out, okay?” She pulls away enough to wipe the tears from your cheeks in such a motherly way it makes you want to blubber all over again.

“It’s not your fault kiddo.” Han’s voice temporarily loses its angry streak as he directs it towards you. “Whatever happened, we highly doubt you’re the one who called the cops.”

“No- no, I would never.”

“We know, sweetheart.” Leia rubs your back. “We’re not blaming this on you.”

“The Solos, I’m assuming? I’m Detective Reed. If you’ll please come this way?” He gestures towards a room tucked into an alcove.

“Honey, are your parents here?”

“No- I don’t know where they are-”

“Then we’re not leaving you,” Leia says firmly, brooking no argument. She turns to the detective. “Anything you have to say can be said in front of Y/N. She’s family.”

“I’m afraid she’s a part of this investigation, so that won’t be possible-”

“Investigation? What the hell could you possibly be investigating?”

“Sir if you could just calm down-”

“To hell with that! Where’s my son?”

“He’s being detained on charges of kidnapping-”

“Kidnapping me, which he absolutely did not do!” You turn to Han. “We snuck out. Well, I snuck out. We were going to meet by the bridge, and everything was great, everything was _wonderful_ , and then these guys show up-”

“Y/N, it’s okay. We know. Ben told us you were meeting him.” Han looks at you kindly, grinning. “Finally decided to sneak out huh? Looks like Ben’s a bad influence on you.”

You smile a little at that, wiping away a tear that escaped your eyelashes. “I wanted to do it.”

“And now we’re in a bit of a mess. Don’t worry, we’ll get it sorted.” He pats you on the shoulder. “Do what they tell you for now, okay? If your parents don’t show we won’t leave without you, okay?”

“O- okay. Okay.” You nod, trusting him, and he gives you a nod back.

“This way, please.” The detective gestures again and Leia gives you one last shoulder rub before letting go. They follow the detective and you go another way, seeking out the woman cop who’d been so insistent with you before.

“Fine. I’ll go with you.”

The interrogation room wasn’t much better than the police station, all cold steel and uncomfortable chairs. You finally accepted the coffee, and you sipped on it carefully, not wanting to scald yourself.

“Okay, Y/N, we just have a couple questions for you.” The lady sits down across from you, and opens a folder in front of her. “Can you confirm your name please?”

“Y/N Y/L/N.”

“And your address?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Just verifying information.”

“1446 Yavin Drive.”

“Okay, great.” She ruffles a few papers. “Can you tell me what you were doing out on the bridge so late at night?”

“As if you don’t already know.” She gives you a look that says she’s not amused, and you roll your eyes. “I was there to meet my boyfriend. Kylo. You know, the one you arrested?”

“You say he’s your boyfriend?”

“Uh, yes. Any more stupid questions?”

“Did you leave the house of your own free will?”

“Did I- of course, I did, what sort of question is that?”

“In no way did Ben Solo force you out of the house?”

“No! Jesus, he’s not a kidnapper, he’s- he’s a good person!”

There’s a knock on the door. “Sarah? Yeah, her parents are here.”

“Copy.” She shuts the folder and stacks the papers so they’re neat and straight. “You’re free to go.”

You step out into the bright waiting room only to be engulfed in a hug that smells overwhelmingly like your mother’s perfume. “Y/N! Oh, thank god you’re okay, we were worried sick-”

“Mom, I’m fine, I’m fine, stop it!” You push her away. “I don’t know what happened, but-”

“What _happened_ is that nightmare of a boy kidnapped you!” She brushes your cheek, not anywhere near as gently as Leia did, and for some reason you wish Leia was there with you instead. “I can’t believe he got into the house without us hearing him-”

“Get into the house, what are you talking about? Kylo didn’t _kidnap_ me, mom, don’t be ridiculous.”

“Of course he did! Why else would you be out at this godforsaken hour-”

“She snuck out.” Your father finally speaks up, arms crossed in barely contained fury. “Didn’t you.”

“I- yes. Yes, I did. Since you won’t let me anywhere near Kylo during waking hours, I figured this was the best chance I could get!”

“Y/N!” Your mother looks genuinely shocked, like she never imagined her perfect little daughter could do something as horrific as sneaking out at night. It sent a defiant little thrill through you. “How could you?”

“I wanted to see my boyfriend, mom. Sue me.”

“That scum is not your boyfriend! Don’t ever let that come out of your mouth again!”

“Dad, Jesus, calm down! Why can’t you just accept that we like each other?”

“Because he’s riffraff and the son of a lowlife criminal, that’s why! Nobody like that needs to be associating with my daughter!”

“Who you calling lowlife, asshole?” Han suddenly appears behind your dad with a red face. “Last time I checked I wasn’t the one bullying my kid for having a boyfriend.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember inviting you in on this private conversation. Come on, honey.” Your dad tugs on your arm so hard you almost fly sideways. “We’re going home.”

“Not until I know Kylo is okay!”

“He’s fine, kiddo. Just a little shaken up. They’re not going to charge him.”

“The hell they’re not! He coerced my daughter!”

“Last time I checked sneaking out at night isn’t a criminal offense.”

“Who are you to tell me how to run my family, you criminal?”

“Dad, stop it!” Now you’re the one tugging on his arm, pulling him towards the door. “Let’s just go, I’m sorry, you can punish me when you get home.”

“No! That little shit is going to get it if it’s the last thing I do-!”

Your dad sputters and coughs, probably because Han just punched him in the face.

“Oh my god! Bill, are you okay?”

“Stay out of this Christie!” Your dad swipes his jaw, murder in his eyes. “This is between us.”

“We need some backup over here!”

Your dad takes a swing at Han, but Han ducks, effectively dodging and throwing your dad off balance. He then proceeds to knee him in the gut, knocking your dad to the floor. Cops are swarming, pulling you and your mom away from the fight and pulling the two fathers away from each other.

“Dad!” Kylo comes storming into the room, an imposing presence as he’s taller than most of the people in the room. “For god’s sake, dad, just let it go!” He begins pulling him away from your father, and you help him, immediately feeling safer with him in the room. When the smoke clears, you’re standing on the side with the Solos, and you can’t help but think about how ironic that is.

“That’s enough!” The detective from previous steps forward, clearly baffled at what just went down. “If the two of you would like to continue your little brawl, be my guest, but you will be charged for endangering the peace!”

“Bill. Bill, let’s just go.”

“Fine. But I’m warning you-” he points a finger at Kylo, who stands stoically by his dad’s side. “Stay away from my daughter.”

“No.”

Your dad looks so taken aback Han might as well have punched him again. “What did you just say to me?”

“I said no.” Kylo looks at you with something in his eyes you can’t quite place, but if you had to guess, you would say love. Lots and lots of love. “I won’t stay away from her.” He pulls you to his side, slipping an arm around your shoulder. Han and Leia let him, and even look a little proud, which is such a glorious feeling you want to revel in it for a long, long time. “I love her, and she loves me.”

You smile, and reach up on your tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. “I’m not going to stop seeing him just because you tell me too. I do love him. And nothing you say is going to stop that, or me.”

Your father blusters his way into finding his voice. “Love? What the hell do you know about love? You’ve known each other for what, three months? It’s impossible.”

You look at Kylo’s face, stone cold. But you can also see the warmth it’s capable of, and the mirth, and the joy. “Somehow, it’s not,” you whisper softly.

Your parents look like they’ve just seen a ghost. You stand your ground, which is much easier to do with Kylo’s hand wrapped around your shoulder, but in reality you can’t remember a time when you’ve openly defied your parents. You’re shaking where you stand. But of course, he notices, and takes your hand, bringing it up to his mouth to press a kiss lightly on the back of your knuckles.

“And-” Leia steps forward with Han, who’s cradling a scuffed fist in one hand- “they have our full support.”

The police have all but backed off, recognizing the severity of the moment, and it felt like the entire room was holding their breath.

“But you don’t have mine.” Your dad speaks so softly you can barely catch what he’s saying. “And you never will. If you want to associate with rats, be my guest. But you’re no daughter of mine. Come on, Christie.” He walks out of the squad room, shoulders held back, not even waiting for your mom to follow. He just walks out. Your mom, eventually, goes after him, but not before giving you a shaky hug and whispering a soft ‘I’m sorry’ into your ear before hurrying out of the room.

You stand there, still in Kylo’s arms, as you break down into pieces.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

You end up going home with Han, Leia, and Kylo- where else would you go?- and they promise you you’re not being a nuisance, but you can’t help but feel like one big burden on the entire family. Especially after what just went down. You clutch Kylo’s hand the entire way to their house, shuddering in time with their old minivan, trying to keep it together. You’d already cried so much, yet the tears were still threatening to spill over your lash line. Did your dad really mean that? Would he even let you back in the house? Kylo seemed to sense the bad thoughts flowing through your mind and gives your hand a light squeeze.

Finally, you pull into the driveway, and you breathe a little sigh of relief. You’d only been here a couple of times, but you really already thought of the small place as home.

“Y/N, you can stay in Ben’s room, if you like. I’m afraid we don’t have a guest room.”

“Oh- no, I don’t want to impose. I can take the couch.’

“Y/N.” You glance at Kylo. “Stay with me. It’s okay.”

Another relief. You don’t think you could actually spend the night alone, not after everything that’s happened. You nod, and let him lead you into the house. Han goes to get ice for his hand, and Leia graciously lends you some of her clothes to sleep in. You thank her and Kylo leads you up the stairs to his room, quietly shutting the door behind the two of you.

You’re grateful, because the second the door closes, you’re breaking down again, sobs wracking your body as your back slides against the door and onto the floor. You can’t move, you can’t think- all you feel is this crushing weight pulling you down into the depths, relentless and malicious. They were your _parents_. Weren’t they supposed to love you no matter what? Even if you did stupid shit? Even if you loved a boy they didn’t approve of?

Kylo sits down next to you and pulls you into him, you on his lap and his arms around your shaking shoulders. You cry into his hoodie, and cry and cry, until eventually you’re left sniffling on his bedroom floor, cocooned in warmth and the wonderful smell that only Kylo possessed.

“Feel better?”

“A little.” You wipe your eyes with the heel of your hand. “I’m sorry, now you’re all wet.”

“No, I’m sorry. Here-” he snags the corner of a blanket from his bed and pulls it down onto the floor, then wraps the two of you into it. It’s soft and smells like him. “This is all my fault. I never should have suggested you sneak out.”

“No. It’s not your fault for asking. I just should have- should have known what would happen.

“Y/N-”

“Ben. Look at me.” He does so, and this time it’s your turn to wipe a tear from the corner of his eye with a spare bit of blanket. “This is not your fault. My parents called the police. My parents are the ones who overreacted. None of that was you. Okay?”

“I got you kicked out of your house.”

“You don’t know that.” _I hope_ , you add silently in your head. “I’m sure by tomorrow dad will have cooled down and everything will be back to normal.”

“God, I hope so.” He tightens his grip on you and you lean into him. “I can’t stand seeing you this upset.”

“I’m okay.” You give him a wobbly smile, then laugh at your own pitiful attempt. “Really.”

That gets him to crack a smile, the one you love so much. “If you say so. Let’s get you out of those wet clothes, yeah?”

The towels in his bathroom were black, just like everything else in his room, and you gratefully wrapped one around your hair, wringing out the excess water. And then, you just sort of stood there, staring at yourself in the mirror. Any makeup you had sponged on was long gone, and your hair was a rat’s nest. Your eyes and nose were red from crying, all in all making you look like a right mess. You couldn’t believe you were letting Kylo see you like this.

“Y/N? You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just-” a noise escapes your throat, something between a whine and a whimper. He must have heard it, because he slowly opens the door, seeing you standing there in the middle of the floor, dry clothes in one hand.

“Here. Up we go.” You raise your arms and he gently tugs the sweatshirt over your head. Then your t-shirt. Under normal circumstances, you should probably feel something interesting standing in your bra and jeans in front of Kylo fucking Ren- but there was nothing sexual about this. Just a gentle hand, a nudge here and there, pulling you in the right direction of warmth and sleep. When you turned around, he wordlessly helped you with your bra clasp, unclipping it but letting it dangle on your shoulders, maintaining your modesty. His eyes were also on the floor as he handed you the dry things. The gesture was so sweet it almost made you smile.

You managed your jeans yourself and soon you were clad in an oversized t-shirt and shorts. Kylo hung your wet clothes over the shower railing to dry as you crawled into his bed, practically groaning as the mattress dipped under your weight. You flop down onto a pillow, pulling it under your head and burying yourself into it.  The sun was coming up; you could see it through the window. Such a long night.

“My parents say we don’t have to go to school.” You must have dozed off, because Kylo entering the bedroom wakes you from a sleepy haze.

“Hm?” You blink, trying to bring him into focus.

Kylo has a small smile on his face as he sits on the edge of his bed. “I said-” he brushes a piece of hair from your forehead with a gentle hand- “we don’t have to go to school today.”

“Mmm. I can’t miss, I have-” you yawn- “an English test today. I think?”

He laughs- a beautiful sound. “I think you can stand to play hooky for one day. Especially after last night.”

“Ugh. I don’t want to think about it.”

“Then don’t. Get some sleep.”

You lazily gesture towards him and pat the bed beside you. “Come with me.”

“I- I was going to sleep on the floor.”

“Ben. You are not sleeping on the floor in your own room.”

‘I don’t want to-”

“Beeeeeeeeeen. Come on, I trust you. Get in.”

He tentatively teases out a corner of his sheets and slides under them, careful not to touch you in any way, shape or form.

“Ben. I appreciate that you’re trying to be respectful. But-” your voice wavers. “Respectful isn’t what I need right now.”

He turns over on his side and looks at you with those brown eyes you love so much. You felt like you could dive into them and never swim back out. “Okay. Come here.” He reaches out an arm and you sink into it, cradling your head on his chest and scooting over until your side is flush with his own. Your eyes flutter close, finally feeling safe.

“Thank you,” you whisper, ready for sleep to claim you.

You feel a gentle kiss on the top of your head and his arm tightens around you. “Always.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

You tried for a whole month to reach out to your parents. A phone call here, a text message there. Mostly to your mom- you figured she would try and talk some sense into your dad, maybe play peacekeeper between the two of you. But all you were met with was radio silence. You bounced around between Rey’s family and Kylo’s house, feeling like a burden to both even though each family made you feel so welcome. But the worst part was the pity you got from your friends’ parents. Finn, Poe, and Rey’s parents all offered to talk to yours, and even though you politely declined you’re pretty sure they tried anyways. You appreciated the effort, but you didn’t want pity- you got yourself into this mess, and you deserved everything you had coming to you.

So you mostly crashed at Kylo’s house, because he was the one thing that kept the guilt from eating you alive. Wonderful, amazing Kylo, whose very presence silenced all the voices in your head telling you you were stupid and a failure. It was hard to keep the depression at bay, but he did his best, bringing you little treats and tidbits about his day, or sometimes not saying anything at all and just being there with you as you battled the feelings raging inside you.

You did your best to keep up appearances and go to school, but there were some days you just couldn’t face the whispers and the gossip- word spreads fast in a small town, and Kylo’s almost-arrest, the fight and showdown at the police station, they were all common knowledge a week after they happened. So for the first time in your life, you skipped- a lot. Class, band practice, the whole shebang. Kylo or Rey brought you your work from your classes and you went over them with Kylo every night at his dining room table, effectively homeschooling yourself to shield yourself from the rumors.

You could tell everyone was worried about you- your friends, Leia and Han, Rey’s mom- but you had a hard time making yourself care. You wondered if your parents even noticed that your things had been quietly disappearing from their house- toiletries, your school stuff, changes of clothes- and migrated themselves to Kylo’s small bedroom, taking up collection in the corner like a shrine to your former life. You wondered if you would ever get that life back- or if you even wanted it back.

“Hey.” Kylo sits down beside you, his weight dipping into the mattress. “You okay?”

You shake your head to dissipate the melancholy thoughts and smile up at him halfheartedly. “Better, now. How was school?”

“Same old stuff. Saw Phasma in the hallway, that was interesting.”

“Yikes. Did she say anything?”

“Nope. Walked right on past. Which I guess is for the better.”

You nod, trying to focus on the conversation and not let yourself slip back into your thoughts.

“Hey. You know what? Let’s take a walk.”

“A walk?”

“Yeah. Come on, you haven’t been outside the house in what, three days?” Your head drops a little, ashamed, and he quickly backtracks. “I didn’t mean it like that- just that it would be good for you to get some fresh air.”

“I don’t know… what if we see someone?”

“I won’t even let them look at you, I promise.” He puts his forehead on yours and nudges you with his nose. “It’ll be fun, okay? Deal?”

You sigh, giving him a peck on the lips. “Deal. Just let me change my clothes.”

“I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

When you manage to put some sneakers and a hoodie on and make the trek down the stairs, Kylo is waiting for you with his black backpack slung across his shoulders. “What’s in the bag?”

“Don’t you worry about it.” He gestures to the door. “Shall we?” His voice echoes in your head, the same one that led you into the gymnasium all those nights ago.

“We shall.” It puts a smile on your face as you follow him out the door. “So, where are we going?”

“Would you accept that it was a surprise?”

“Well, depends on the surprise.”

“I can’t very well tell you what the surprise is and keep it a surprise,” he teases. A clank comes from his bag and he steps off the curb. “Come on, don’t you trust me?” He holds out a hand.

You of course take it. You always would. “Obviously. Dork.”

“What happened to asshole?”

“You graduated, congrats.”

He throws his head back and laughs, such an amazing sound you immediately want to make him do it again, if you could only think of something funny to say. Nothing comes, so you walk in silence for a bit, clasped hands swinging between the two of you as you walk along the roadside. Eventually, it fades into gravel, and buildings make way to trees, until you’re walking down the same road you drove down on that fateful night. You start to get a little nervous. “Kylo… where are we going.”

He stops. Turns to you. “I really did want to get you out of the house for a bit. But the truth is, I had a surprise set up for you at the bridge.”

“The bridge…? Where we..?”

“Yeah. But I realize that might not be the best place to revisit, so if you don’t want to, we don’t have to go any farther. I just thought-” he looks up at the sky, turning slightly pink as the sun just begins to set. “I didn’t want them to take away the good memories we had there. So I thought we’d make some more. Kinda beat them at their own game, I guess.”

You stare at this lovely, lovely boy in front of you, whose hard exterior shadows a heart of gold. “Kylo. That’s… amazing.”

“Yeah?” His face lights up. “So, you wanna go?”

“With you? Anywhere.” 

 


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

The walk wasn’t nearly as long as it was in the dark. Kylo seemed oddly cheerful, even whistling while the two of you walked down the path together. You could feel the grass crunching under your feet in time to whatever tune he was humming. It was lifting your spirits, if you were being honest.

“Okay, now you have to close your eyes.”

You stop about ten yards away from the stream, obscured by trees up ahead. “Close my eyes? Kylo, I’ve seen the bridge before. It’s nothing special.’

“Come on, just humor me.” You sigh and dramatically wave your hands around in the air before placing them carefully over your eyelids. He leads you forward gently with a hand on your lower back, and you try to step carefully.

“If you push me into the water, so help me god-”

“You know, kind of sad I didn’t think of that myself in the first place-”

“Kylo!”

“Kidding, kidding. Just a little further…. And… open.”

What you see nearly takes your breath away.

The rickety old bridge had been transformed into an explosion of colors with streamers handing from the handrails and balloons tied to every post. Brush had been cleared so that the stream ran sparkling smooth underneath, bubbling away cheerfully. Kylo takes something out of his bag- a blanket- and spreads it over the main walkway, sitting down on it crosslegged. He looked a little ridiculous in all black surrounded by the cacophony of neon, but the massive grin on his face more than makes up for it.

“You absolute dork,” you laugh, taking it all in. “What in stars’ name did you do?”

“Just a little redecorating. Come on, come sit.”

You do so, and sitting down on the blanket meant you were instantly swarmed by color in all directions. You could barely even see the green of the forest anymore- it was like being in your own private funhouse.

“This is- Kylo-”

He’s busy pulling more things out of his pack- some sandwiches, fruit, and a bottle of something fancy looking along with two paper party cups. “My parents wouldn’t let me steal the wine glasses,” he says sheepishly.

“Yet they let you steal the wine?” You raise a skeptic eyebrow at the dark green bottle.

He turns the label to let you see. “Sparkling cider, princess, don’t get your hair in a twist.”

“Fancy.” He pops it open and pours you a drink, then himself one. “Are we celebrating something?”

“That depends on you.” There’s a mischievous look in his eye that you half love and are half afraid of. “Notice anything?”

“Other than the circus…?” You look around, trying to single out anything different amongst the decorations. Then, behind a streamer, you see some markings that look like- “Words?” You pull the streamer back, unraveling it from the handrail, until an entire message is spelled out in multicolored sharpie.

“Will I- Kylo! This is defacing public property!”

He pauses for a second, looking at you like you’re a bit insane, before bursting into laughter. “To be honest, that’s exactly the reaction I should have expected from you.”

You laugh along with him, running a hand over the ink. “I’m serious, you better hope this stuff washes off.”

“Okay, ignoring your sudden friendly neighborhood spider-senses… can I get an answer?”

You study the words a bit more closely. Will you go to prom with me? You mouth the words as you read them, letting them sink in for a second before sitting back on your heels. Kylo’s face is a mixed bag of nervousness and anticipation. “Prom? That’s really what this is all about?”

“Well, yeah.” His tone changes a little. “Is that bad? Because we don’t have to go if you don’t want to-”

“Kylo. Ben. Stop.” He freezes, mouth still hanging open. “This is really, really sweet of you,” you sigh, once again tracing the lettering with a fingertip. “To be honest, I just hadn’t thought that much about it,” you admit.

“Well, you can think about it while we enjoy this lovely picnic, no rush.” He hands you a sandwich and a Tupperware full of something before nearly devouring his own dinner in one bite.

A few chews in, you swallow and look at him. “You really want to go to prom?”

He tilts his head like he’s considering the question. “Well, no. I’d never really considered going. But Rey told me-”

“Rey told you what, exactly?” You laugh, batting him with a sandwich crust. “Exactly how much are you and Rey communicating these days?”

“Oh, me, Rey, Finn, and Poe are super tight now.” He gives you a shit-eating grin. “All we do when you’re not at school is sit around and talk about you.”

“Okay, not funny. What did she tell you?”

“She said you’d been looking forward to prom since forever. So I figured I better ask you right.”

“And you chose the place we almost got arrested at?”

He shrugs his shoulders. “Like I said, new memories. Better ones. Plus, despite how that night went, I don’t really want to forget how it started.”

You glance at the stream, remembering the feeling of moss between your toes and the taste of Kylo on your lips. “Yeah.”

“And, any night with you is a good night. We could be at prom or at home on the couch watching Netflix, I don’t care. It’s all up to you.”

“But then all your hard work would go to waste.”

“Well, it did take me a couple days to set up.” He absentmindedly bops a balloon with one hand, watching it sway in the breeze. “Had to pray no one would come along and see it. But hey, perfect picnic atmosphere.”

“Something like that.” You smile at him over the rim of your cup. “Cheers.” You bump rims and take a drink- you sipping on it, Kylo tossing the whole thing back in one go like it was actually alcohol. He refills both your cups and sits back, looking up at the sky. You watch, enjoying the view.

The two of you continue talking and laughing throughout the rest of the meal, surrounded by your own personal rainbow. As the sun is setting, the two of you once gain wade into the shallow water, hand in hand, and watch the sky turn pink and orange.

“You gonna pop all these balloons or what?”

He looks back over his shoulder. “Nah. I’ll leave it. Maybe some other guy can prompose here.”

You giggle a little. “Never thought I’d hear the word ‘prompose’ come out of your mouth.”

“Well, first time for everything.” He grins at you crookedly. You look back towards the sky, taking in the scenery.

“Hey, Y/N?”  
“Hm?”

“I’d really, really like to go to prom with you.”

You look over at him. “Really?”

“Really really.”

“You just want to get me into a pretty dress.”

“Guilty as charged. But seriously, I want it to be special for you. If that’s what you want.”

“I-” you blink, realization washing over you. “I think I do.”

“So that’s a yes?”

You swing your arms up around his neck and pull him into a kiss, which he happily returns. At first, there’s a pang of anxiety, but when he slips his arms around your waist and pulls you in, all of it dissipates. _New memories_ , you remind yourself. “That’s absolutely a yes.” You feel his smile against your lips before he kisses you again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the sparse updates, I got pretty sick last week! Back on track now though. Thanks for your patience!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

While Kylo is downstairs doing homework, you sneak up to his room and press Rey’s number on your speed dial.

“Hey, what’s up? I was just about to call you.”

“We have a problem.”

“Uh oh, trouble in paradise?”

“Kylo just asked me to prom.”

“Oh, yes! Did you love it? Man, he’d been planning that for weeks. We all helped- Poe practically charmed the pants off the guy at the balloon store so we got a great discount- wait. Why is that a problem? Don’t you want to go?”

“Of course I want to go, Rey! You know that!”

“Well, yeah, you’ve been talking about it since, like, middle school. So why is it a problem?”

“I just-” you sit down on his bed. “I didn’t think it would be like this.”

There’s silence over the phone for a few moments, and then a rush of static as Rey sighs. “Look, I know tings aren’t… great, right now. But that doesn’t mean it has to ruin your night, okay? You’ve got an amazing guy who’s head over heels for you and will probably look like a right snack in a tux, you’ve got the three of us by your side- I promise, we’re not going to let anything or anyone mess this up for you. Okay? You deserve one night of nothing on your mind.”

“God, what did I do to deserve you guys?”

“Must’ve been lucky in a past life or something.” You can hear the implied wink over the phone.

“Something like that.”

“So, are you going to wear that dress you picked out earlier this year?”

The dress in question was a light pink A-line covered in rosettes and lace. You’d seen it in the window of the dress shop and practically begged your dad to buy it for you on the spot. You’d even gone in and tried it on with your mom. It fit perfectly, much to your delight. But thinking about it now made your stomach turn a bit. “I don’t think so. It just… doesn’t seem right anymore. Is that weird?”

“No, I totally get it.”

“Plus, it’s not like I actually have the funds anymore to buy anything. I guess we can hit up the goodwills? Sometimes they have stuff like this…”

“Um- about that.”

She had that tone in her voice. “Rey. What did you do.”

“Well, it was actually Finn’s idea-”

“ _What_ was Finn’s idea?”

“Well, we were thinking about the money thing, since obviously your parents are… well. So we decided we’d take up a little collection, just in your classes, and see if we could raise some money that way.”

“Rey. You did not.”

“Y/N, we got almost two hundred dollars.”

“You- what?”

“I know you’ve been afraid of people making fun of you for what happened- and yeah, there have been a few assholes- but for the most part? Everyone wants to help. Everyone loves you, Y/N. I’ve had at least ten girls come up to me and promise you could borrow whatever you needed, and the band alone raised half of what we made. Even some teachers got in on it.”

“I- I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes when you win prom queen.”

‘Oh, please, like that’s going to happen.”

“I think I’ve just proven to you how popular you are. You’re a shoe-in.”

Your grip on the phone suddenly tightens at then thought of standing up in front of all those people, a crown on your head. “Well. I guess we better find a dress then.”

“Damn straight. And it’ll be way better than anything you’ve found so far, trust me.”

The next day, you ended up riding to a small boutique all the way on the other side of town- somewhere almost no one would think of for a prom dress. The consignment aspect guaranteed something unique, something Rey was adamant about- there’d be no cookie-cutter prom dress for you.

“Okay. Where do we start?”

“Well…” you lightly run a hand over a soft blue taffeta gown hanging on the wall. You check the price tag. Acceptable.  “This one seems nice?”

“Nice is nice; we want spectacular. And if you keep looking at price tags I’m going to chop off your right hand. Don’t worry about the money, just find something you love.”

The two of you spent the better part of an hour digging through racks and racks of gowns. Some were too short, others not your color, and most out of your price range. You tried on dress after dress, color after color lacing around your body in all sorts of silhouettes. Sparkly, lacy, satiny- you tried them all. But nothing seemed to stick, even Poe and Finn (who were FaceTimed in) agreed nothing seemed to be quite right.

“Should we call Kylo? Get his opinion?”

“No! I want it to be a surprise.”

“Okay, okay. Just checking.”

The hunt continued until you were both exhausted, both hands full of rejected gowns to hang back up on the way out.

“Well, there’s other stores. Don’t get discouraged. We’ll find something, trust me.”

Just as you were passing the front counter, a piece of silky material caught your eye. You get the attention of the lady behind the counter. “Excuse me. Can I see that one, please?”

“Sure thing.” She pulls it out by the hanger, draping it over the counter so you could see it better. “Just came in today, haven’t even priced it yet.”

You take one look at it, run your hand over the material, and turn to Rey. “This is it.”

“This one? Really?”

You nod, already imagining the look on Kylo’s face when he sees you. “It’s perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow guys I am SO SORRY- I totally forgot this was ongoing!! Please forgive me!


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

There’s a knock on the door as you put the finishing touches on your eyeliner. “Y/N, honey? It’s me. Can I come in?”

“Sure, Leia, just let me-” you cap your liner and throw it back into your bag. Picking up the hem of your dress, you make your way over to the door around the curling iron still cooling on the floor and let her in. “There. Sorry about the mess, I went a bit overboard.”

“Oh it’s no- oh. Y/N.”

Your eyes immediately widen and you glance down at your dress. “What is it? Do I look okay?”

“You look beautiful, Y/N. Absolutely stunning.”

Grinning, you smooth down the fabric you had been clutching. “Oh, okay. Good. Am I holding everybody up?”

“Ben’s been ready for ages. Don’t take it from me, but I think he might be nervous.” She gives you a conspiratory wink. “Are you all set?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Oh, before you go- here. I thought these might add a touch of something.” She holds out her palm and you take the two glittering stones lying in it. Holding them up to the light, you gasp softly as a gorgeous pair of earrings unfurls at your fingertips, glistening like diamonds even in the pale sunlight coming through the window.

“Leia- they’re… I can’t possibly-”

“No, no, none of that. Try them on. I think they’ll look beautiful on you.”

Stunned, you walk back over to the mirror and push them through your earlobes, letting them fall delicately into the waves of your hair. Tilting your head to admire them, you can’t help but grin. “They’re perfect.”

“I thought they might be.” Leia has a smile on her face as well, a look of pure motherly pride. “Ben is waiting for you downstairs, if you’re  ready…?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I think I am.”

She holds out an elbow and you slip your arm through the crook of hers, allowing her to bolster your nerves. As she leads you to the staircase, all you can focus on is the million thoughts zooming around your head at a thousand miles an hour- until you see Kylo standing at the bottom.

He’s dressed in a tux that miraculously fits his frame in all the right ways, a silver tie accenting his broad chest. His shoes are shined, his hair is pushed back from his face, and his hands are being wrung nervously in front of him- he hasn’t noticed you yet. Delicately, you take the first few steps down the stairs, and he looks up. His eyes widen.

You’re in a floor length satin black gown, dark as midnight, cut in a trumpet style to accentuate your curves. A high neck glistens with seed pearls and wraps around your neck like a collar of jewels. Your hair falls over one side of your shoulder in soft waves. Coupled with heels borrowed from Rey and Leia’s gift, you look like a downright goddess- and he definitely notices.

He mouths a silent ‘wow’ as you descend the staircase, train in one hand so you don’t trip over it. When you reach the bottom, the smile on his face matches your own, and you both stare at each other for a minute, taken in by the beauty of the person in front of you.

“Hi,” you giggle, still a little starstruck. You do a little spin just to see if you can get a bigger reaction out of him, but he doesn’t seem capable of doing anything more than staring in awe.

“Hi,” he whispers back, reaching out to push a piece of hair behind your ear. “Wow. Wow, Y/N, I can’t… you’re beautiful. Though I wouldn’t have expected the black,” he teases.

“I thought you might appreciate it.”

“I… yeah.”

“Okay, lovebirds, enough of that,” Han cuts in. He tosses something at Kylo and he catches them nimbly, holding it up to see what it is. A set of car keys. “Why don’t you take the Falcon tonight?”

Kylo raises an eyebrow. “Seriously? You haven’t let me touch the thing since I was eight.”

“All in the name of impressing a lady, son. Now get going.”

You glance over at Leia. “The Falcon?”

She rolls her eyes. “Han’s nightmare of a car. You probably won’t die on the way there. Probably.”

Kylo grins, and holds out his hand. “Ready?”

You take it. “Always.”

The car turned out to be a sleek vintage low rider, and you had to admit it was pretty cool. You run a finger along the paint. “Your dad fixed it up?”

“Every damn day. Guess it finally came in handy.” He opens the door for you. “Milady,”

You blush and take a seat. “Oh my god, stop. Just because I’m in a nice dress doesn’t mean you have to go all chivalrous knight on me.”

“I think that’s exactly what it means.” He starts the car and cruises out of the driveway, turning around to head towards the school.

The drive is smooth, but you watch the passing trees with some anxiety. What if people laugh? What if they talk about you? You didn’t particularly care if they ruined your night, but you definitely didn’t want to drag Kylo into the middle of it. It was his night too, and while you’d almost chalked yours up to being a wash, you didn’t want his to be ruined as well.

As he pulls to a stop in the parking lot and goes to open your door, you’re frozen in your seat, looking fearfully at the school in front of you.

“Y/N? You okay?”

“I-” to your horror, tears begin to prick at your eyes. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Hey.” He crouches down to your level, keeping eye contact with those brown eyes you love so much. “What’s going on? I thought you were excited.”

“I was- I am! But what if-” you shake your head. “People talk, Kylo. I don’t want to be rumored to death.”

“Look, they’re not as bad as you think. Most people have been pretty sympathetic. But besides that, they’ll all be too busy doing their own thing to even care. And,” he adds, reaching out to pull your hand into his, “I’ll be right there with you the whole time. As will the group. We won’t let anything bad happen.”

“This is your night. If you want to turn around and go home, that’s fine. We’ll chill in my living room for all I care. But I think you’ll find it’ll be a lot more fun if you just get in there and dance.” He smiles at you with a lopsided grin. “What do you say?”

You take a deep breath. “Okay.” You get out of the car, stepping lightly on the asphalt. “But you’re with me the entire time.”

“As if I’d be anywhere else.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your new lab partner proves to be nothing short of an asshole- or is he? The more of Kylo that’s revealed, the more you can’t help but think you might be falling for him just a little…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> M CONTENT AHEAD

You slip off one of your heels and rub the bottom of your foot as Kylo fiddles with the lock on the front door. “I feel like I should carry you over the threshold or something.”

You giggle. “Why? We went to prom, it’s not like we’re married or anything.”

“Yeah, but now you’re a bonafide prom princess. Isn’t walking for peasants or something like that?”

“Actually, that’s queen to you.” As he unlocks the door, you dramatically call attention to the crown still on your head as you walk through as stately as you can, dress trailing behind you. You can tell he’s rolling his eyes behind you as he follows you in, shutting the door behind the two of you. “But,” you say, turning to look up at him and smiling, “I suppose I can be your princess for the night.”

“Now that is something I’ve always wanted to hear.”

“Oh really?”

“Really really.” He stoops and lays the tenderest of kisses on your lips, one that you can feel a smile through. “And you do look great in a crown,” he whispers softly.

His voice seems to go right through you, making you shiver. “Come on,” you take him by the hand and lead him up the stairs. “I’m sure you’re ready to get that tux off.”

“And I’m sure you’re nowhere near ready to take that dress off.”

“Only if you’re the one to take it off of me,” you joke, slipping off your other heel and letting them dangle in your left hand as you make your way upstairs.

It takes you a moment to realize Kylo isn’t following. You turn as best you can without tripping over your hem. “Well? Coming?”

“Tell me you mean that.”

“Meant what?”

He joins you at the top of the stairs and slowly fingers one of the velvet straps of your gown, teasing it off your shoulder so it hangs loose. “That I can be the one to take this off of you.”

“Uh-” you brain seemingly short circuits for a second, imagining yourself standing in front of him with your dress puddled at your feet. Blinking, you regain your composure. “Well, it wouldn’t do for a princess to undress herself, now would it?” You’re close enough to see his pupils blow a little wider. You laugh, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Come on, you dork.”

As he’s losing his jacket and undoing his shirt, you’re standing in front of his mirror, admiring one last time the look of the glittering crown upon your head before finally unpinning it from your hair and setting it aside. Kylo comes up behind you and watches as you set it down, running a reverent finger over the largest jewel. “It really does suit you, you know.”

“Hm.” You lean back into him and he wraps you into a hug from behind.

“My princess,” he whispers into your neck, pressing a soft kiss behind your ear, making you a little weak in the knees. He continues though, pressing little kisses down your neck. Your head lolls to the side, giving him easier access, and he hums, rewarding you with a nibble to your collarbone. “I think it’s time you get out of this dress.”

“I don’t think I’d mind,” you mutter, trying to keep your feelings under control. Slowly, he finds the buttons that do up the back of the dress and begins to undo them one by one, giving you plenty of time to change your mind. You aren’t going to, though, because the thought of finally having nothing between the two of you sends a strange sort of excitement shooting through you. Eventually, you’re holding up the bodice with nothing but your forearms crossed against your waist. Keeping eye contact with him in the mirror, you release the satin onto the floor, revealing a matching set of lacy underthings.

You sit on the edge of the bed, beckoning him towards you. Your heart is pounding out of your chest, and you can’t help but be a little self conscious, but all that disappears when he runs a gentle finger down your shoulder and arm almost reverently. “You’re so fucking beautiful,” he whispers, and it puts a glow in your heart.

“You’re not too bad yourself,” you say, tugging on his now unbuttoned shirt. He shrugs it off, and you’re afforded an absolutely spectacular view of his body, toned and muscular and something you very much want to- well. Something you very much want, full stop. You’re hesitant, but Kylo takes your hands and puts them on his waist, giving you permission to explore him as much as you want. It makes you feel- powerful. And sexy, knowing that he wants you like this.

Laying back on the bed, he climbs in with you, and your legs instantly tangle together. He puts a hand to the side of your head to brush back the loose curls that have fallen out, and you lean into it, enjoying the heat curling its way through your body.

“Y/N.” His voice is rough. “I don’t want to do anything you don’t want to do. But goddamn-“

“Well, that all depends on what you want to do.”

“I want you,” he whispers. “I want you so fucking much.”

You lean forward and kiss him, but not gently- there’s a vein of desperation running through it, letting him know that you feel the same way.

“What about your parents?”

“Gone for the night.”

“In that case…” you kiss him again, harder, and he returns it like it’ll be the last chance he gets. “I want everything you want,” you say. “And probably more.”

That seems to kick him into action. He lays back and pulls you on top of him so that you’re straddling his hips, a position that instantly sends all sorts of heat between your thighs. As you lean over to kiss him, hands in his hair, you can feel him getting hard beneath you. Experimentally, you flex your hips, and are rewarded with the most delicious moan you’ve ever heard in your life.

You have no idea what you’re doing, but you gently work up a rhythm with your hips. Kylo releases you and just lays on the bed, eyes closed, trying not to let anything too undignified cross his lips as you work magic on top of him.

“Christ, Y/N, you act like you’ve done this before.”

That stalls you. “um, no…” you giggle nervously. But that begs the question- “have you…?”

“No. But I can’t say I haven’t thought about it many, many times.”

“Oh.” For reason that disappoints you a little. I mean, of course there would have been other girls in Kylo’s life, I mean, look at him-

“Hey.” He seems to know where your brain is going and sits up, you still in his lap. “Only with you,” he says gently. “I’ve only ever thought like this with you.”

“Ben Solo, are you trying to seduce me?”

He laughs, pressing a kiss to your nose. “Why, is it working?”

In a moment of brazenness, you push him back on to the bed and crawl on top of him, aligning your hips so that you can feel him growing underneath you. “Abso-fucking-lutely.”

He goes to kiss you but you stop him, giving you the chance to admire him and how he looks underneath you. Now there’s something you’d never thought you’d say before. Running your hands over his chest teasingly with just a hint of nails thrown in, you eventually make your way down to his hips, tugging lightly on his belt.

He eyes you carefully, though the gaze is full of heat. “You’re sure you’re okay with this.”

“Very. Get these off. Now.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” He rolls out from under you and stands, nimbly discarding his belt and pants until he’s left standing in front of you with nothing but briefs. He’s fucking huge, a sight that makes you a little nervous, but mostly thrills you. Carefully, you run a finger underneath the waistband of his briefs, tugging them down so that his cock is free. Even bigger than you thought. You felt like you could just stare at him forever, but this wasn’t the time for that. Slowly, you press a kiss at the base and work your way up the shaft, adding in a bit of tongue when he moans in pleasure. When you get to the head, you take it into your mouth, swirling your tongue around it like you’d seen online. You weren’t completely clueless, after all.  

“Jesus fuck, Y/N, I’m not-“ he’s already at a loss for words- “I’m not going to last long like this.”

You give him another couple of seconds before you pull away, letting him feel every inch of your mouth on his cock. The taste was… interesting. Not the worst, though. “Save some for me, at least.”

“Gladly.” He lays you back down so that you’re cushioned by pillows and slips an arm underneath you, pulling you flush with him. The feeling of skin and nothing else between the two of you felt so right, especially with Kylo’s hand circling its way down your stomach. He stops at your panty line. “You’re sure this is okay?”

By this point, you’re practically squirming for him to touch you. “Good god, Kylo, yes.”

He grins. “Just checking.” And his fingers slip down beneath your underwear, feeling for your center that you can already tell is wet and needy. He finds it, and you gasp lightly as he runs a gentle finger over your clit. “God, you’re so fucking wet.”

“Look what you do to me,” you counter, trying to keep breathing despite his administrations.

He hums, slowly slipping down to your entrance, and you honestly weren’t sure how this was going to go. It must have shown because he nuzzles his face into yours, getting you to relax. “I’m right here with you. I’ve got you.” With that, he pushes in, just a hair, seeing how you react. All your muscles instantly tighten up, but in a good way- any sensation you may feel is concentrated on his fingers.

“I’m- I’m okay.” He nods and slips in a little further- and further, slowly stretching you out. The feeling is intense, shooting sparks all up and down your body, but it’s not unpleasant. The more he explores, the more you relax into it, only furthering the pleasure until little whimpers are escaping your lips.

Breathlessly, you put your forehead to his. “Are we going to..?”

“Someone’s eager.”

“Oh, fuck off, like you’re not.”

“Got me.” After a few seconds, he releases you,  fumbling over to his bedside table and rummaging through a drawer.

“What are you..?” Oh. Condom. “Keep those handy, huh?”

“Just in case an incredibly gorgeous girl happens to come knocking. Turns out, she did. Many times.”

You laugh as he rolls it over himself, somehow managing to make something so mundane look so hot. When he climbs back into bed with you, you’re nervous and wound tight but also so, so ready.

He kisses you lightly, slowly, savouring it, and you put a hand up in his hair, running your fingers through it. Gently, he spreads your legs with one hand and lines himself up. You can feel him at your entrance, part of him rubbing against your clit, and you’re awash with sensation.

There’s some pressure, and a little pain, as he slowly pushes in, just a little. Your breathing becomes erratic, both in anticipation and sheer want. After checking that you’re okay, he slides in a little further, stretching you more than you’ve ever felt before, filling you up until you’re clawing at his back, trying to find some purchase to counter the heat inside you. You must’ve scratched him with a nail because he jerks, making you gasp.

“Sorry, sorry. You okay?”

“God, Kylo, I can’t- oh my god-“

“Going to take that as a yes.” He kisses you, and begins to move. Oh, how he moves. Slowly, in an out, letting you feel every inch of him. His thumb finds its way to your clit, rubbing soft strokes, and both of you are panting and moaning and so completely taken in by the other.

He speeds up a little, the friction increasing, and your back arches off the bed, trying to feel everything you can of him. Your bodies fit together perfectly as he moves inside you, the noises sinful and the feeling spectacular. Your eyes are shut, just trying to ride out the sensation, but every time you open them Kylo is looking at you with nothing but love.

“Y/N… I can’t…”

“Me neither,” you laugh breathlessly, already feeling the beginnings of an orgasm curling through your abdomen. “I’m so close.”

“That is so hot.” He rubs your clit hard and fast, making you cry out.

“Kylo- Kylo- Ben! I’m going to-“ you’re cut off by an orgasm ravaging your body, making you see stars. A few seconds later, you can feel Kylo as well, thrusting one final time until he’s pumping inside you. He collapses onto his forearms, panting, and you nuzzle your face into the crook of his neck, delighted to find that he smells like you.

Ever so slowly, he pulls out, and the sudden loss of heat makes you gasp. Disappearing into the bathroom for a moment, he comes back cleaned up and with a damp washcloth, carefully wiping the sweat off your forehead. You’re too blissed out to thank him, but you do pull him down next to you and bury yourself into him. His arms go around you, sheltering you as you come down off your high.

“That was…wow,” you whisper.

“Yeah?”

“Yes.” You take comfort from the heat radiating off of him, stopping your trembling. “I don’t think I can feel my legs.”

He laughs, and you can hear it rumble through his chest. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Please do.”

The two of you lay there, curled in on each other, as you both catch your breath. You felt warm and safe, like you never had before, and like you could fall asleep in his arms right there. Which wasn’t a bad idea. As your eyes flutter close, he rubs a comforting hand along you back, further lulling you to sleep.

“I love you,” you whisper, putting as much love as you could behind the quiet words.

Another rumble. “I love you, too. Now go to sleep. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

And the best part is? He was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to write an epilogue for this and I promise it will be done over Christmas break...!


End file.
